NEW DELHI: India A faced a nightmare start to their second unofficial Test against Australia A at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Thursday, losing four wickets within the first three overs, including the key wicket of KL Rahul for just 4 runs.

All eyes were on Rahul as he was promoted to open the batting in preparation for the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy. However, the 32-year-old failed to make an impact, falling for a duck to Scott Boland, caught behind on the fourth ball he faced. Rahul’s dismissal left India A struggling at 9/3 after just 1.3 overs.

Before Rahul’s exit, Australia A’s Michael Neser had already set the tone with a devastating spell, claiming two wickets in the first over. Neser removed Abhimanyu Easwaran and Sai Sudharsan off consecutive deliveries, leaving India A in deep trouble at 0/2 within the first few balls of the match. Neser’s brilliance continued, and he also dismissed India A captain Ruturaj Gaikwad for just 4 runs, further pushing India to a dire 11/4 after just three overs.

Rahul’s inclusion in the India A lineup was part of the team’s strategy to prepare him for the upcoming Border-Gavaskar series, set to begin on November 22 in Perth. With Rohit Sharma’s potential absence from the first Test due to personal reasons, Rahul is competing with Easwaran for the opening spot in the senior team. Easwaran’s recent strong domestic form has only intensified this competition.

Australia A’s pacers Neser and Boland took full advantage of the conditions, applying immediate pressure on India A’s top order after winning the toss and opting to bowl first. With the top order in tatters, India A will now need to regroup and recover from this early collapse as they aim to turn the tide and mount a stronger response in the remainder of the match.