By Prakash Nair 
Lucknow, September 16: The India vs Australia cricket exchanges are unfolding on parallel tracks this week, with the men’s India A vs Australia A unofficial Test beginning in Lucknow even as the women’s teams prepare for the second ODI in Mullanpur after a shaky Indian fielding display in the opener. Both series are not just contests on the field but also staging grounds for individual careers and team-building ahead of bigger assignments.
Shreyas Iyer’s Road Back Through India A Captaincy
The first unofficial Test at Ekana Stadium, Lucknow saw Australia A win the toss and opt to bat. The visiting side, led by Nathan McSweeney, fielded a youthful XI including Sam Konstas, Campbell Kellaway, Todd Murphy, and others. Shreyas Iyer, who has been battling for a red-ball comeback after injuries and inconsistent form, is captaining India A. His squad features names at the fringes of the Test side such as Abhimanyu Easwaran, Sai Sudharsan, Devdutt Padikkal, J Jagadeesan, and Dhruv Jurel.
The match, scheduled for 90 overs a day, lost time to rain in the morning session, trimming the day’s quota to 78 overs. That said, the contest is being watched closely by selectors. As reported by The Times of India, Iyer’s leadership in a longer format could serve as a proving ground before India finalize squads for their upcoming Test season.
The Australia A tour is designed to give bench players match practice under subcontinental conditions. Head coach Tim Nielsen told TOI that a tie against India A would be a learning opportunity, particularly given the turning tracks and different ball behavior.
Why This Match Matters Beyond the Scorecard
Unofficial Tests are not part of the ICC calendar, but they remain crucial stepping stones. For India, the contest doubles as a fitness and form check for Iyer, and as an audition for next-generation batters like Easwaran and Sudharsan. For Australia, acclimatisation is the goal, with Todd Murphy’s presence recalling his impactful debut in India during the 2023 Border-Gavaskar series.
Selectors on both sides will weigh performances here when considering injury back-ups or fresh picks for senior squads. The India A program has historically launched several Test players such as Rishabh Pant and Hanuma Vihari. For Iyer, who has been branded a white-ball specialist in recent years, this captaincy could be decisive in reviving his red-ball credentials.
India Women’s Fielding Under Scrutiny
While the men’s A-teams battle in Lucknow, the spotlight is equally sharp in Mullanpur, where India Women face Australia Women in the second ODI on September 17. India trail 0-1 in the three-match series after an eight-wicket defeat in the opener.
The performance was marred by sloppy fielding with four dropped catches, according to Outlook India. Against a ruthless Australian unit, those lapses tilted momentum swiftly. Phoebe Litchfield’s unbeaten 70 sealed the chase, while veteran Ellyse Perry, despite suffering calf cramps, contributed to Australia’s win as reported by News.com.au.
Captain Harmanpreet Kaur admitted after the loss that India’s intensity must improve. The bowling group, led by Renuka Singh Thakur, created opportunities, but without sharp catching, breakthroughs slipped away.
Australia’s Benchmark and India’s Gap
The Indian women’s side has been under transition, with youngsters like Shafali Verma and Richa Ghosh taking greater responsibility. Yet, Australia remain the benchmark in women’s cricket, fitter, deeper, and battle-hardened.
The second ODI will test whether India can correct its fielding lapses and bring a sharper game. With a packed calendar leading into next year’s Women’s T20 World Cup, India cannot afford to cede ground in 50-over cricket either.
Parallel Narratives of Transition
Taken together, the men’s and women’s contests against Australia this week reflect a common thread of transition and testing grounds.
- For the men, it is about fringe players and returnees proving they belong at the Test level.
- For the women, it is about matching the world’s best in intensity and execution while grooming the next generation.
Still, both sides of Indian cricket share the same imperative to close the gap with Australia, a side that continues to define global cricketing standards in both men’s and women’s formats.
For now, attention will remain split, on Iyer’s leadership in Lucknow and on whether Harmanpreet’s team can field with discipline in Mullanpur. Both results may not count officially in ICC standings, but their implications will ripple into the months ahead.
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- Prakash Nairhttps://hindustanherald.in/author/prakash/
- Prakash Nairhttps://hindustanherald.in/author/prakash/
- Prakash Nairhttps://hindustanherald.in/author/prakash/
- Prakash Nairhttps://hindustanherald.in/author/prakash/
