In the opening Youth Test at Niranjan Shah Stadium, opener Lakshya Raichandani carried his white‑ball form into red‑ball cricket, scoring an unbeaten 210. His innings helped India Under‑19 finish day two at 430/8, a 213‑run advantage over Australia Under‑19, who were all out for 217.
Raichandani’s marathon 256‑ball knock featured 20 boundaries and four sixes, and he reached his half‑century in 69 balls. The opener’s steady play was complemented by skipper Yashbardhan Singh Chauhan, who joined him for a 124‑run third‑wicket partnership that steadied the innings after early wickets fell to Sagar Virk and Kushagra Ojha.
A key moment came when Mohit Ulva joined Raichandani for the ninth wicket. The local player scored 58 not out off 56 deliveries, including five boundaries and four sixes, and together the pair added 137 runs to deflate the Australian attack. Despite brief pressure from Connor Gregory and Green, India maintained control, with Ayaan Akram adding 51 runs for the seventh wicket before being dismissed.
Australia’s bowlers, using seven different options, struggled to turn the tide. Kasey Barton took 3‑65 and Connor Gregory finished with 2‑87, but the Indian batsmen’s resilience ensured a dominant performance that secured India’s firm command of the match.
