Overview
- Australia A beat India A by 125 runs at Puducherry after posting 274 and bowling the hosts out for 149 in the first unofficial ODI on Tuesday.
- Nathan McSweeney scored 123 off 135 balls and was named Player of the Match after a 141‑run sixth‑wicket stand with captain Will Sutherland, who made 77.
- Pace bowler Mahli Beardman returned from a stress‑injury layoff to take 4 for 23 up front, removing India A’s top three and leaving the chase stranded at 24 for 3.
- India A’s Rajat Patidar top‑scored with 53 but the lower order collapsed, and Suryansh Shedge — picked as Hardik Pandya’s injury replacement — earlier took 4 for 40 for India A while bowling in Australia A’s innings.
- The result gives Australia A an early series lead and creates fresh selection talking points, with McSweeney answering recent Test‑snub questions and Beardman’s workload and recovery now under closer scrutiny ahead of the Oct. 9 and Oct. 11 matches.