A stellar century from captain Ruturaj Gaikwad guided India A to a hard-fought four-wicket victory over South Africa A in the first unofficial ODI at Rajkot. India A successfully chased a target of 286, sealing the win with three balls to spare. Gaikwad was the cornerstone of the chase, playing a calculated and fluent innings that featured 12 boundaries. He began the innings positively, partnering with Abhishek Sharma for a 64-run opening stand, with Sharma scoring a brisk 31. Following Riyan Parag’s dismissal, Gaikwad built a crucial 89-run partnership with Tilak Varma, who contributed a steady 39. Even after Gaikwad was dismissed for 101 in the 41st over, with 67 runs still needed, the finishing was handled expertly by Nitish Kumar Reddy and Nishant Sindhu. Their unbeaten 65-run partnership for the sixth wicket proved decisive, with Reddy scoring 37 and Sindhu 29. South Africa A had earlier fought back admirably after a disastrous start. A fiery spell from Arshdeep Singh and Prasidh Krishna reduced them to 53 for 5, but Delano Potgieter (90) and Dian Forrester (77) led a significant revival, ably supported by Bjorn Fortuin’s 59, to set a competitive total of 285 for 9. This win gives India A an early advantage in the series.
