India A won a nail-biting first unofficial ODI against South Africa A by 4 wickets at Rajkot’s Niranjan Shah Stadium on November 13, 2025. Chasing 286, India A reached 290/6 in 49.3 overs with just three balls remaining. Ruturaj Gaikwad led the chase with a brilliant 117, while Nitish Kumar Reddy’s unbeaten 37 off 26 balls and Nishant Sindhu’s 29 not out sealed the victory. South Africa A had recovered from 53/5 to post 285/9, thanks to fifties from Dian Forrester (77), Delano Potgieter (90), and Bjorn Fortuin (59).
Sources: ESPNcricinfo, CricTracker, InsideSport
Scorecard
| Team | Score | Overs | Wickets | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Africa A | 285/9 | 50.0 | 9 | Lost by 4 wickets |
| India A | 290/6 | 49.3 | 6 | Won by 4 wickets |
Top Performers
| Player | Team | Role | Performance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ruturaj Gaikwad | India A | Batsman | 117 runs off 129 balls |
| Delano Potgieter | South Africa A | All-rounder | 90 runs off 105 balls |
| Dian Forrester | South Africa A | Batsman | 77 runs off 83 balls |
| Bjorn Fortuin | South Africa A | All-rounder | 59 runs off 56 balls |
| Nitish Kumar Reddy | India A | All-rounder | 37* runs off 26 balls |
| Arshdeep Singh | India A | Bowler | 3 wickets for 59 runs |
Key Moments
- South Africa A collapsed to 53/5 after losing their top order cheaply, with Arshdeep Singh and Prasidh Krishna striking early
- Forrester and Potgieter put together a crucial 113-run partnership for the 6th wicket to rebuild the innings
- South Africa A added 232 runs for the last 4 wickets to reach 285/9
- India A lost Abhishek Sharma (31 off 25 balls) and Riyan Parag (8) early but Gaikwad steadied the ship
- Gaikwad and Tilak Varma (39) added a vital 89-run partnership for the third wicket
- India A lost both Gaikwad (117) and Ishan Kishan (17) in quick succession, leaving them needing 67 runs from 54 balls
- Nitish Reddy and Nishant Sindhu held their nerve in a tense finish, needing 35 runs off 30 balls at one stage
Match Analysis
This match showed the fighting spirit of both teams. South Africa A refused to give up after their terrible start, with their middle and lower order producing one of the best comebacks in recent A-team cricket. The visitors’ total of 285 looked competitive after being 53/5.
India A’s chase was led brilliantly by Gaikwad, who played a captain’s knock despite not being the official captain. His century gave India A a strong platform. However, his dismissal created panic in the home camp. The young duo of Nitish Reddy and Nishant Sindhu showed great maturity under pressure to finish the job.
Arshdeep Singh was the pick of India’s bowlers with three wickets, while the South African spinners Bjorn Fortuin picked up two wickets to keep their team in the contest.
What’s Next
The second unofficial ODI between India A and South Africa A will be played at the same venue in Rajkot on November 16, 2025. South Africa A will be looking to bounce back and level the three-match series, while India A will aim to take an unbeatable 2-0 lead. Both teams have shown they can fight back from difficult positions, promising another exciting contest.