India A vs West Indies A: Shubman Gill to Shahbaz Nadeem, players who put standalone performances

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After wrapping up the ODI series with a 4-1 win over Windies A, Hanuma Vihari-led India A outplayed the Carribeans in the three-match unofficial Test series as well. Riding on some of the best performances, India A won the series 2-0. Here’s a quick look on India A’s top five performers in the series.

1. Shubman Gill

Shubman Gill has made his case even stronger now with outstanding performances, especially after he was snubbed for the senior Indian team’s West Indies tour. Shubman smashed a double century against West Indies A in the third unofficial Test at Brian Lara Stadium, Trinidad on Thursday. The 19-year-old became the youngest to score a first-class double century for an Indian representative team, breaking the previous record of Gautam Gambhir, who had scored a double-century for India’s Board President XI’s team against Zimbabwe in 2002.

Shubman Gill scored an unbeaten 204 runs from 250 deliveries including 19 fours and two sixes at an impressive strike rate of 81.60. After the top-order collapse, Gill made sure that he makes up for the golden duck in the first innings. He shared an unbeaten 315-run partnership for the fifth wicket with India A skipper Hanuma Vihari. Shubman ended up scoring 244 runs in just three innings that he played during the series and with that he reached the top of the run-scorers list in the series. Gill had also finished the Unofficial one-day series as the top run-getter with 218 runs in four matches, averaging 54.50 with a strike rate of 98.19. He hit three half-centuries and was named the Man of the Series.

2. Shahbaz Nadeem

Shahbaz Nadeem turned out to be the best bowler once again with figures of 5 for 103 in 41 overs. The Jharkhand orthodox left-arm, one of the most consistent bowlers in the Indian domestic circuit, played two of the three games and had three ‘five-for’ in four innings, finishing with the most 15 wickets in the series.

Nadeem took 5/62 in the first innings of the first match in the series and it was followed by 5/47 in the second innings of the same match. India A won the match by 6 wickets where Nadeem ended up taking 10 wickets and was awarded Man of the Match. While in the third and final match, Nadeem conceded 28 runs in 13 overs and in the second innings, he again took 5 for 103 runs.

3. Hanuma Vihari

India A skipper Hanuma Vihari has also contributed with the bat significantly, finishing second in the highest run-scorers’ list in the series. Hanuma piled up 224 runs in three matches including an unbeaten 118-run innings in the second innings and 55 in the first innings of the third Test. Shubman and Hanuma rescued the team from 50/4 to 365/4 as they stitched an unbeaten 315-run partnership in the third match.

4. K Gowtham

India A had taken an unassailable 2-0 lead in the second match after the visitors sealed a seven-wicket win despite conceding a 138-run lead in the first Innings. India A has offspinner K Gowtham to thank for the win as he came to the team’s rescue in absence of Shahbaz Nadeem. Gowtham, who went wicketless in the first four-dayer, took 5 for 17 in only 7.5 overs, helping skittle out the home side inside 40 overs.

30-year-old Gowtham’s performance with the ball also continued even in the Third Test when in the first innings he scalped 6 for 67 and ended up taking 12 wickets in the series which is second highest in the series after Shahbaz Nadeem and Chemar Holder’s 15 wickets each.

5. Priyank Panchal

The West Indies A tour has also been special for India A’s Priyank Panchal as the opening batsman piled up 194 runs in three matches. The 29-year-old cricketer from Gujarat played a key role in India’s victory in the second match when he scored 58 in the first innings and 68 in the second. While in the first match he had missed his fifty by a run when he got out for 49.