India A vs Australia : The Day a Youngster Outshone a Team of Seasoned Pros

It was a tough day at the office for India A as Australian opener Sam Konstas smashed a brilliant century, putting the visitors firmly in control on the first day of the unofficial Test in Lucknow.The day belonged entirely to the 19-year-old, whose aggressive but composed innings left the Indian bowlers searching for answers.Opting to bat first, Australia A got off to a flying start thanks to Konstas and his opening partner, Campbell Kellaway.The pair put on a massive 198-run partnership, setting a solid foundation for a big first-innings total.Konstas, who has been marked as a player for the future, showed exactly why he's so highly rated. He played with a positive intent from the get-go, reaching his hundred in a single session His knock of 109 was studded with powerful shots, including 10 fours and three sixes.For the Indian side, captained by the returning Shreyas Iyer, it was a frustrating day spent chasing the leather.The pace attack, led by Prasidh Krishna, failed to make an early impact and was put under pressure by the Australian openers.Krishna, in particular, had a difficult outing, going wicketless and proving expensive.The lone bright spot for India A was the performance of left-arm spinner Harsh Dubey In a batting-friendly-looking pitch, Dubey managed to pick up three crucial wickets, providing some much-needed breakthroughs for his team. He was the only bowler who seemed to trouble the Australian batsmen, finishing the day as the pick of the Indian attack.By the end of the day's play, Australia A had posted a commanding score of 337 for the loss of five wickets.The Indian team will need a much-improved performance with the ball on day two to get back into the game. While the opportunity to dominate the opening day was missed, the challenge for Iyer's squad will be to show resilience and fight their way back into the contest