By Admin 
The ‘A’ tours that countries embark on are like shadow sojourns. Shadow because these teams are filled with National-team wannabes and players who mirror the qualities of the nation’s first-choice XI, with the expectation being that they are ready to jump in when the eventual call-up for National duty comes.
However, the second of the two multi-day matches between India-A and South Africa-A, which commences at the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence in the city outskirts on Thursday, appears to have deviated from this norm.
It looks like a main event in itself, for the Indian roster has as many as eight members from the Test squad that will take on South Africa in the two-match Test series from November 14, and the visiting party has in its ranks the World Test Championship-winning captain Temba Bavuma.
The hope is now for the on-field action to match the quality on paper.
India-A won the exciting first tie by three wickets, with off-spinner Tanush Kotian finishing with a match-haul of eight wickets (four for 83 and four for 26). But the biggest positive was the return of Rishabh Pant, who had been out of action with a foot injury since the fourth Test against England in Manchester in July.
The swashbuckling wicketkeeper-batter made a typically brisk second-innings 90 and kept wickets, thus announcing his readiness for the rigours of five-day cricket. Another game before the first Test in Kolkata against the Proteas will be useful to sharpen his skills further.
The likes of B. Sai Sudharsan – who opened the batting in last week’s contest – and Devdutt Padikkal – who played at No. 3 – will look for some runs after accounting for just 55 across both innings.
The South Africa-A side isn’t as heavily loaded as the Indians’, but Bavuma’s return after a two-month injury lay-off will be keenly watched. Conditions wise, only Bengaluru’s unusually warm weather might imitate Kolkata’s.