Ruturaj Gaikwad puts selectors on notice, Sooryavanshi fails as India A rout Sri Lanka A
Tilak Varma, Ruturaj Gaikwad (Source: X/@BCCI)
Published - 09 Jun 2026, 05:29 PM• Read time - 2 mins
Ruturaj Gaikwad slammed a brilliant hundred against Sri Lanka A in the opening match of the tri-nation series on Tuesday, June 9, at Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium, Dambulla, as India A registered a thrilling 8-run victory. Gaikwad played a magnificent innings of 101 (114) laced with six fours and three sixes, guiding his team to a good score of 277/6 in their 50 overs.
Captain Tilak Varma (60 off 97) also made a handy contribution while Vaibhav Sooryavanshi was dismissed cheaply for 14 (12). Sri Lanka came mighty close to chasing down the target, riding on a splendid innings from captain Sahan Arachchige (74 off 72), but were eventually bundled out for 269 in 48.5 overs.
For India A, Arshad Khan (2/24, 4.5 overs), Ayush Badoni (2/46), Vipraj Nigam (2/46, 8 overs) and Anukul Roy (2/49), all chipped in with two wickets each.
Earlier, India A got off to a disastrous start as Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and Prabhsimran Singh (2 off 11) were dismissed cheaply, leaving their team on 16/2 in 4.1 overs. After the early blows, Ruturaj Gaikwad joined Priyansh Arya (32 off 32) at the crease, and the duo stabilised the innings with a 53-run stand off as many deliveries, before a run-out cut short Arya’s knock.
With India A on 69/3 in 13 overs, Tilak Varma and Gaikwad stitched a massive 150-run stand off 185 balls for the fourth wicket to take the team’s score past 200. Later, some lower-order contributions from Ayush Badoni (24 off 18) and Suryansh Shedge (26* off 14) guided their team to 277.
Gaikwad adjudged Player of the Match
In reply, Sri Lanka A got off to a good start with openers Niroshan Dickwella (47 off 45) and Avishka Fernando (45 off 59) getting involved in a 93-run stand off 99 balls for the first wicket. Both openers were sent on their way back to the pavilion by Badoni, while Vipraj Nigam got Nuwanidu Fernando (8 off 17) stumped to leave Sri Lanka on 109/3.
A 78-run stand off 74 balls for the fourth wicket between Sadeera Samarawickrama (46 off 51) and captain Sahan Arachchige (74 off 72) kept Sri Lanka in the hunt. However, after Anukul Roy broke their stand by dismissing Samarawickrama, Arachchige failed to get any support as wickets began to crumble.
Sri Lanka A went on to lose the last five wickets in 30 balls for just 32 runs and eventually fell short of the target.
