Mulani takes seven in the match as India A go 1-0 up against Australia A

The vagaries of a typical subcontinental fourth-day surface proved too much for Australia A as they crashed to a 162-run defeat against India A in the first unofficial Test in Puducherry on Friday.

The visitors lost five wickets in the first session on day four, with India A's victory only slightly delayed by a 67-run eighth-wicket stand between Fergus O'Neill and Todd Murphy. That was Australia A's only fifty-plus partnership of the game.

It needed just 6.1 overs after lunch for India A to pick up the three remaining wickets - all taken by left-arm spin-bowling allrounder Shams Mulani. He finished with a match haul of 7 for 124 as Australia A were bundled out for exactly 200 in 55.1 overs, marginally better than the 171 they managed in the first innings.

Australia A started day four on their overnight score of 55 for 2, and their pursuit of the target of 363 couldn't have begun on a more sombre note as Anshul Kamboj struck twice early. Nathan McSweeney, whose most recent Test appearance was in 2024-25, was out to a lifter that he gloved to gully. Two overs later, Peter Handscomb, the only batter from the touring party with Test experience in India, was bowled by a delivery that scooted low from a similar length.

Then, Kamboj's pace partner Tushar Deshpande got stuck with a sensational opening burst of reverse swing on an abrasive surface. A ball after being slapped for four, he returned with a full delivery that reversed in late to sneak past Josh Phillippe's defence and flatten the off stump as he played inside the line. Deshpande then had two in two balls when Liam Scott was late on a length ball that cut back in sharply to nip out the off stump once again.

Desphande was sharp, largely accurate, and kept threatening for lbw dismissals with his late movement, and was easily the best fast bowler on view through the game. He finished the second innings with 3 for 14, before the ball was tossed to the spinners.

Jason Sangha was lucky to survive a missed stumping on 11, and in the same over, wasn't given out lbw with India failing to review a decision that would've gone in their favour. With wickets falling around him, he kept taking chances before an attempt to play a slog sweep off Tanush Kotian left him bowled for a 23-ball 26.

Then there was brief partnership, which at no stage really threatened the hosts, before Mulani picked up the last three wickets after lunch to close out the match. O'Neill was out slogging to deep midwicket, Murphy was out to a sharp catch at leg gully by B Sai Sudharsan, and Brendan Doggett was taken superbly at long-off by Shaikh Rasheed diving forward.

The capitulation was complete, with Australia A now having three days before they look to bounce back in the second unofficial Test at the same venue.