Nikhil Kumar showed excellent temperament on way to an unbeaten half-century under pressure and guided India U-19 to a nervy two-wicket win over Australia U-19 on the third day of the first unofficial Test in Chennai on Wednesday. (More Cricket News)
Coming in at number seven, the left-handed batter Kumar remained not out on 55 off 71 balls as India emerged winners in the final hour of the day's play.
This was after leg-spinner Mohamed Enaan did the spadework and returned excellent figures of 6/79 to bowl out Australia for 214 in their second innings.
Australia were 110 for four overnight.
Set a target of 212, a tricky proposition on this surface, India were dealt a massive blow straightaway as Vaibhav Suryavanshi, who flayed the Australian attack to all parts of Chepauk during his stunning 62-ball 104 in the first innings, fell for just one run in the second over.
Australia's decision to hand the new ball to off-spinner Thomas Brown paid dividends as he had the in-form Suryavanshi caught by wicketkeeper Simon Brown with his second delivery of the innings.
Defending a modest total, the visitors heaved a sigh of relief at seeing Suryavanshi walking back to the dressing room at the start of Indian innings, and the Australians found more reasons to cheer when Aidan O'Connor had Vihaan Malhotra caught and bowled for 11 to leave India at 25 for two.
A partnership of 71 runs ensued, between Nitya Pandya (51 off 86 balls) and KP Karthikeya (36 ff 52), as the duo pushed India towards a win.
However, both Karthikeya and Pandya were trapped in front of the wicket by leg-spinner Vishwa Ramkumar to leave the Indians in a spot of bother at 113 for four.
O'Connor made it worse for India by getting rid of Soham Patwardhan as the hosts lost their fifth wicket with a little under 100 runs still needed for victory.
That is when Kumar took charge of the situation and in the company of wicketkeeper Abhigyan Kundu (23 off 52), helped India cross 150.
But just when it looked like the two could see the home team through, O'Connor had Kundu caught behind and then Ramkumar bowled Mohamed Enaan to leave India at 167 for seven.
Looking for another partnership, Player of the Match Kumar found an able ally in Samarth Nagaraj (19 off 34), as the duo added a match-winning 47 runs for the eighth wicket.
By the time Samarth got out, the match was almost in India's bag.
Brief Scores:
Australia U19: 293 and 214 all out in 67.4 overs (Riley Kingsell 48, Aidan O’Connor 35; Mohammed Enaan 6/79) vs India U19: 296 and 214/8 in 61.1 overs (Nitya Pandya 51, Nikhil Kumar not out 55; Aidan O'Connor 4/27).
