India vs India A Intrasquad Match Day 2: Sarfaraz Khan scores 100, Bumrah goes wicketless while Abhimanyu and Sai Sudharsan shine

Add as a preferred source on Google

As the clock ticks closer to the highly anticipated five-Test series against England, starting June 20, 2025, the Indian cricket team is fine-tuning its preparations with an intra-squad match in Beckenham.

Day 2 of this four-day training fixture, organized by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), showcased a blend of emerging talent and seasoned players, offering a glimpse into India's strategic buildup.

India vs India A - What happened on Day 2?

The BCCI shared a series of captivating images on X earlier today, capturing the essence of the match. feature key players such as Shubman Gill and Jasprit Bumrah, alongside other squad members, engaging in red-ball cricket under the watchful eyes of umpires. The images reveal a relaxed yet focused atmosphere, with empty green stands in the background, suggesting a private training session rather than a public spectacle.

Yashasvi Jaiswal and others had some batting practice while the likes of Nitish Kumar Reddy, Tushar Deshpande and Akash Deep rolled their arms. In the other images, Arshdeep Singh was seen bowling while Abhimanyu Easwaran was having a bat. Rishabh Pant was also seen doing a handstand in the field. The wicketkeeper-batter did the same during an IPL 2025 match as he celebrated after scoring a century.

As fans await official squad announcements, the focus remains on how this preparation will translate into success on the field. For now, the images from Beckenham offer a tantalising preview of India's Test ambitions, blending tradition with a new generation of cricketing talent.

The Key Action - As it Happened

As per a report from the Indian Express, the action-packed 2nd day saw numerous top performances. Sarfaraz Khan responded with authority, smashing a scintillating century to headline an eventful day with the bat.

The 27-year-old Mumbaikar continued his rich vein of form in English conditions, hammering a 76-ball hundred laced with 15 boundaries and two sixes. His aggressive knock was a continuation of his recent exploits, following a fluent 92 against the England Lions in Canterbury. Sarfaraz was eventually retired out after dominating the Indian bowling attack, allowing other batters to get time in the middle.

Also among the runs for India A was wicketkeeper Ishan Kishan, who remained unbeaten on 45 at stumps, showing composure and fluency in the lower order alongside Shardul Thakur (19*). The India A side closed the day at 299 for 6 in response to India's first-innings 459. Jasprit Bumrah remained wicketless while Mohammed Siraj and Prasidh Krishna got 2 wickets each.

From the senior squad, skipper Shubman Gill and KL Rahul had earlier laid down strong markers with measured half-centuries. Rahul, fresh off his 19th First-Class century in the second unofficial Test against the Lions in Northampton, continued his form with another composed fifty. The Karnataka batter, who has four centuries in 21 First-Class innings in England, appears to have rediscovered his touch ahead of the first Test at Headingley on June 20.

Abhimanyu Easwaran and Sai Sudharsan also got time in the middle, scoring 39 and 38 respectively, while opener Ruturaj Gaikwad endured a forgettable outing, falling for a duck in his first innings of the tour.