The India National Under-19 Cricket Team produced a dominant batting display against Australia Under-19 in the first unofficial Youth Test at the Niranjan Shah Stadium in Rajkot. The biggest highlight of the second day’s play was a brilliant double century from opener Lakshya Raichandani, who remained unbeaten on 210 and helped India take a commanding first-innings lead.
Australia Under-19 were bowled out for 217 in their first innings. In reply, India finished the second day at 430 for 8, giving them a substantial 213-run lead over the visitors. Raichandani’s marathon innings became the centre of attention as he continued to bat confidently even after reaching his century and then completed a memorable double hundred.
The youngster was joined by Mohit Ulva late in the innings, and the pair added a crucial 137 runs for the ninth wicket. Mohit also played an aggressive innings, scoring an unbeaten 58 from 56 balls.
Lakshya Raichandani Hits Brilliant Double Century
Lakshya Raichandani was the star of the day for the India National Under-19 Cricket Team. The young opener played a long and controlled innings, reaching 210 not out from 256 deliveries by the end of the day’s play.
His innings included 20 fours and four sixes, showing a good combination of patience and attacking strokeplay. He reached his century from 139 balls before accelerating further and completing his double century from 247 deliveries.
Raichandani’s ability to stay at the crease for such a long period gave India the platform they needed to move well ahead of Australia’s first-innings total.
At the close of play, his score stood at 210, while India had reached 430 for 8. The official scorecard also confirms his 210-run innings came from 256 balls, with 20 boundaries and four sixes.
For a 17-year-old batter, the innings was another indication of his impressive form across formats.
Raichandani Continues His Excellent Recent Form
The double century against Australia did not come out of nowhere. Raichandani had already been producing strong performances for India’s Under-19 side in recent matches.
During India’s tour of Sri Lanka, he produced a massive 207-run innings in a Youth Test and also scored another century in the multi-day series. His form continued when Australia Under-19 arrived in India.
In the recent Youth ODI series against Australia, Raichandani also made his mark with the bat. He scored an unbeaten 110 in the third ODI as India completed a 3-0 series sweep. His 210 not out in the Youth Test has now added another major performance to an already impressive run of scores.
His recent performances have made him one of the key young batting prospects in the India Under-19 setup.
India Take 213-Run Lead Over Australia
Australia Under-19 had the first opportunity to bat in the opening Youth Test. However, the visitors could only manage 217 runs before losing all ten wickets.
India’s bowlers played an important role in restricting Australia to a relatively modest first-innings total. Ishan Om was particularly impressive with the ball, taking five wickets, while Mohit Ulva claimed three wickets and Yashbardhan Chauhan took two.
Australia’s innings did receive a major contribution from Blake Cattle, who scored 102. Zed Hollick also made 59, but the rest of the batting order struggled to make a significant impact.
Once India began their reply, the home side initially faced a few problems but gradually took control. Raichandani’s long stay at the crease eventually transformed India’s position in the match.
By the end of the second day, India had moved to 430 for 8, giving them a lead of 213 runs.
Yashbardhan Chauhan Provides Crucial Support
Before the lower order helped Raichandani dominate the final stages, India received an important contribution from captain Yashbardhan Chauhan.
India lost Sagar Virk for 11 and Kushagra Ojha for 13 early in the innings. With the score under 50, Australia had an opportunity to put pressure on the Indian batting lineup.
However, Raichandani remained composed and found a dependable partner in Yashbardhan.
The two batters added a valuable partnership that helped India recover from the early setbacks. Yashbardhan eventually scored 54 runs, giving India the stability required to build a strong first-innings position.
His half-century was particularly important because India had lost two early wickets and needed a partnership to prevent Australia from taking control of the match.
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India Lose Five Wickets for Just Three Runs
Despite the strong partnership between Raichandani and Yashbardhan, India’s middle order experienced a difficult period.
After India reached 170 for two, the score quickly changed to 173 for five. Manal Chauhan was dismissed without scoring, while Kush Patel managed only one run.
Manav Krishna and Ayaan Akram then tried to provide support to Raichandani. Manav scored 25, while Ayaan contributed 26.
These partnerships were important because Australia’s bowlers were able to pick up wickets at regular intervals. However, Raichandani continued to hold one end together.
The Indian opener’s ability to remain unbeaten became increasingly important as wickets fell around him.
Mohit Ulva Joins Raichandani and Attacks Australia’s Bowlers
When India lost their eighth wicket at 293, Mohit Ulva walked out to join Raichandani.
What followed was one of the most important partnerships of the innings.
Raichandani and Mohit immediately put pressure back on the Australian bowling attack. Instead of simply trying to survive, Mohit played aggressively and attacked the loose deliveries.
By the end of the second day, the pair had added 137 runs from 121 balls.
Mohit remained unbeaten on 58 from 56 balls, with five fours and four sixes. His strike rate was above 100, and his aggressive approach allowed India to push their lead beyond 200 runs.
The partnership also meant that Australia missed an opportunity to finish India’s innings quickly after taking their eighth wicket.
Australia Bowlers Struggle to Stop India’s Charge
Australia’s bowlers had some success during India’s innings but were unable to dismiss Raichandani before he reached his double century.
Kasey Barton was among Australia’s wicket-takers, while Spencer Green and Connor Gregory also picked up two wickets each. The scorecard at the end of the second day showed Green with two wickets and Gregory with two wickets.
However, Raichandani’s resistance proved decisive.
Once the opener settled in, Australia’s bowlers found it increasingly difficult to break the partnership. The Indian batters were able to rotate the strike and punish deliveries that offered scoring opportunities.
The result was a huge first-innings advantage for India.
India National Under-19 Cricket Team in Strong Position
With a 213-run lead and two wickets still remaining, the India National Under-19 Cricket Team are firmly in control of the first unofficial Test.
The team can now look to increase the lead further before eventually putting Australia back under pressure with the ball.
Raichandani’s presence at the crease gives India another opportunity to push the total significantly higher. His unbeaten 210 has already given the hosts a huge advantage, while Mohit’s attacking 58 has made the position even stronger.
India’s bowlers had already demonstrated their ability to dismiss Australia for 217 in the first innings. If they can repeat that performance, the hosts will have a strong chance of putting Australia under considerable pressure in the remainder of the match.
Lakshya Raichandani’s Knock in Numbers
| Batting Detail | Lakshya Raichandani |
|---|---|
| Runs | 210* |
| Balls | 256 |
| Fours | 20 |
| Sixes | 4 |
| Status | Not Out |
| Milestone | Double Century |
| India Score at Stumps | 430/8 |
| India’s Lead | 213 Runs |
The figures underline just how important Raichandani’s innings has been. His 210 not out came at a strike rate of just over 82, combining the patience required in a multi-day game with enough attacking shots to keep the scoreboard moving.
India’s Young Batters Show Plenty of Promise
The match has also provided encouraging signs beyond Raichandani’s double century.
Yashbardhan Chauhan’s half-century gave India stability when early wickets fell. Manav Krishna and Ayaan Akram also made useful contributions, while Mohit Ulva’s attacking half-century changed the momentum late in the innings.
This depth in the batting lineup is important for the India National Under-19 Cricket Team, particularly in multi-day cricket where players need to build long partnerships and recover from difficult situations.
Raichandani’s innings has understandably attracted most of the attention, but India’s overall batting effort has been a team performance.
What Makes Raichandani’s Double Century Special?
Scoring a double century in Youth Test cricket requires patience, concentration and the ability to bat through different phases of an innings.
Raichandani showed all three qualities in Rajkot.
He first had to deal with Australia’s new-ball attack after India lost two early wickets. He then built partnerships with Yashbardhan and other middle-order batters before taking responsibility for the innings as wickets continued to fall.
Even after reaching 100, he did not stop. He continued batting and eventually crossed the 200-run mark.
His unbeaten 210 has also continued a remarkable sequence of performances in Youth cricket. His earlier 207 against Sri Lanka and his unbeaten 110 in the Australia Youth ODI series show that the youngster has been in excellent form across both red-ball and white-ball cricket.
IND U19 vs AUS U19: Day Two Summary
The second day of the first unofficial Youth Test belonged firmly to India.
Australia started the match by scoring 217 in their first innings, but India’s response was much stronger. Raichandani’s double century became the foundation of a huge total, while Yashbardhan and Mohit provided valuable support.
At stumps, India were 430 for 8, leading Australia by 213 runs.
Raichandani was unbeaten on 210 and Mohit Ulva was unbeaten on 58. The ninth-wicket partnership between the two had already reached 137 runs, leaving Australia with the difficult task of taking India’s final two wickets when play resumes.
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India U19 vs Australia U19: What Happens Next?
India will return to the middle with a substantial advantage and two wickets still in hand.
The immediate objective will be to add more runs and make the first-innings lead as large as possible. Australia, meanwhile, will be desperate to finish India’s innings quickly and then produce a much stronger batting effort in their second innings.
For the India National Under-19 Cricket Team, the match has already been shaped by an outstanding individual performance from Lakshya Raichandani.
His unbeaten double century has put India in a commanding position, but the team will know that the job is not finished yet.
With Australia’s first innings total of 217 already behind them and India holding a 213-run advantage, the hosts have created an excellent platform. The next phase of the match will determine whether India can turn that advantage into a decisive result.
For now, though, the headline belongs to 17-year-old Lakshya Raichandani, whose unbeaten 210 has once again shown why he is becoming an important name in India’s Under-19 cricket setup.
