It’s about reading the game and adapting, says Ayush Mhatre

For most of India-A’s batting line-up, Friday was a battle they couldn’t win. Against a disciplined South Africa-A attack, wickets kept tumbling — except that of an 18-year-old who refused to back down.

Ayush Mhatre batted with freedom and fearlessness. But when off-spinner Prenelan Subrayen came in, the script flipped in an instant — his five-wicket haul swung the contest in South Africa-A’s favour at the BCCI Centre of Excellence Grounds.

At stumps, both players reflected on their performances.

“The wicket was looking good, and the idea was to start positively. For me, it’s about keeping things simple — play on the merit of the ball and trust your game,” said Mhatre, who added that he looks to “play the ball, not the bowler,” a mindset instilled by his coach.

“I play my shots freely, but if the team needs stability, I adapt. It’s about reading the game and responding to what’s needed at that moment,” said Mhatre.

Subrayen credited teamwork and leadership for his success. “It was a good collective bowling effort. Credit to the captain for backing me — he just handed me the ball and told me to do my thing,” he said.

“It’s always special to play in India, and getting wickets here feels great. It was a really good wicket. Both the pacers and the spinners had assistance, and if you applied yourself as a batter, you could score runs. It was a proper, balanced cricket wicket.”