India vs India A Intrasquad Match: From Shardul Thakur to Sarfaraz Khan - Who were the Best and Worst Players?

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India's only warm-up fixture ahead of the Test series against England was cut short on Day Three in Beckenham, Kent, following a commanding all-round display by Shardul Thakur.

Representing India A, Thakur bolstered his claim for a spot in the playing XI for the Headingley Test by smashing an unbeaten 122.

Thakur's innings began late on Day Two, where he ended the day on 19*, before transforming it into a composed and impactful century on Day Three. Characterised by crisp shot selection and his signature counter-attacking approach, the knock added a layer of complexity to India's selection decisions ahead of the series opener on 21 June.

Prior to his batting exploits, Thakur also left a mark with the ball, unsettling top-order batters like KL Rahul, Shubman Gill, and Karun Nair. Known for his uncanny ability to deliver breakthroughs at critical junctures, the 32-year-old once again underlined his credentials as a potent seam-bowling all-rounder.

The three-day match-held behind closed doors with no live broadcast or scorecard-was wrapped up early, with the BCCI confirming a rest day on 16 June before the team's departure to Leeds the following day.

India vs India A Intrasquad Match Performers

Top Performers

Shardul Thakur: Unbeaten 122 with the bat; consistent with the ball.

Sarfaraz Khan: Blistering 101 off 76 balls on Day Two, laced with 15 boundaries and two sixes, strengthening his red-ball reputation.

KL Rahul, Shubman Gill: Composed half-centuries on Day One, offering assurance at the top of the order.

Abhimanyu Easwaran: Abhimanyu Easwaran scored two half-centuries in the two matches against England Lions. He scored 39 runs in the intrasquad match.

Sai Sudharsan: Handy 38-run cameo, adding depth to the middle-order options.

Poor Performers

Yashasvi Jaiswal: The southpaw failed to score big and struggled in the Intrasquad match.

Nitish Kumar Reddy: Underwhelming with the ball despite his recent run in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, opening up the all-rounder slot to serious competition.

Jasprit Bumrah: Went wicketless in the match and was expensive. The premier India pacer will be playing a key part in the England series.