File image of India U19 cricket team.© AFP
Nitya Pandya led India U-19's charge with a fluent 94 as the hosts finished at 316 for five on the opening day of the second youth Test against Australia here on Monday. Pandya was among the four half centurions for India on the day and also the top scorer, having missed his triple-figure mark by a narrow margin of six runs. The right-handed Pandya cracked 12 fours to make 94 off 135 balls before falling to Harry Hoekstra (2/29), who delivered an early blow to India with the dismissal of Vaibhav Suryavanshi (3).
Vihaan Malhotra could only manage a four in his score of 10 off as many as 75 balls as Australia seemed to have controlled the initial stages of the game, but Pandya led India's fightback and the hosts finished at a strong position at stumps.
India No. 3 Pandya found ample support in KP Karthikeya as the duo put on 112 runs for the third wicket. Karthikeya made 71 off 99 balls with nine fours and a six.
Both Pandya and Karthikeya fell in a space of four overs which did leave India in a spot of bother at 185 for four, but a 105-run association between captain Soham Patwardhan and Nikhil Kumar helped them consolidate.
Nikhil was the more aggressive among the two as he hit seven fours for his 61 off 93 balls before being dismissed.
Patwardhan was holding fort at the other end with an unbeaten 61 off 120 balls (6x4s) with wicketkeeper-batter Harvansh Pangalia on 7.
India lead the youth Test series 1-0 having won the first game by two wickets.
Brief scores: India U-19 316/5 in 90 overs (Nitya Pandya 94, KP Karthikeya 71, Soham Patwardhan 61*, Nikhil Kumar 61; Harry Hoekstra 2/29) vs Australia U-19.
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