Tilak, Arya, and Kushagra power India A to commanding total in Dambulla

The trio’s clinical half-centuries set the stage for a dominant performance as India A secures a spot in the tri-series final against Afghanistan A.

The Dambulla pitch may have been sluggish, but the Indian top order refused to let the momentum stall on Wednesday. In a vital tri-series encounter, skipper Tilak Varma, along with Priyansh Arya and Kumar Kushagra, carved out well-timed fifties to steer India A to a formidable 319 for nine. The performance was a testament to the team’s depth, proving they have the gears to shift from a blistering start to a calculated middle-overs rebuild.

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and Priyansh Arya wasted no time, racing to a 75-run opening stand in just eight overs. Sooryavanshi, the 15-year-old prodigy, looked every bit the part with his trademark cover drives, though his exit—a rushed pull shot off Faridoon Dawoodzai—served as a sharp reminder of the steep learning curve at this level. Arya, however, was in sublime touch, bringing up his fifty in a mere 29 balls before falling to a sharp catch at point.

The middle-overs grind

Once the powerplay blitz faded, the reality of the Dambulla deck set in. The ball stopped coming onto the bat, and the run rate, which had hovered above eight, dipped significantly. The middle phase saw Tilak Varma and Ruturaj Gaikwad navigating a tricky period where boundaries were hard to come by. Gaikwad’s departure, following a thin edge down the leg side, briefly put the pressure on the dressing room.

It was here that Tilak and Kushagra stepped up, anchoring the innings with a crucial 104-run partnership. While they didn't always find the fence, their ability to rotate the strike and keep the scoreboard ticking prevented a total collapse. Kushagra’s 60-ball fifty and Tilak’s patient 67-ball effort ensured India stayed in the contest even as the Afghanistan A bowlers tightened the screws. A late cameo from Vipraj Nigam provided the necessary final flourish to push the team past the 300-run mark.

Why it matters

This victory is more than just a notch in the win column; it reflects the robust pipeline of talent currently feeding into the national setup. For India, the ability to adapt to a drying, sluggish surface is a skill often tested in international cricket. By securing a berth in the tri-series final, the squad has demonstrated that they can pivot from aggressive stroke-play to tactical accumulation when conditions demand. It’s a confidence-booster for the younger crop, proving they can anchor high-pressure chases and defend totals effectively under foreign conditions.