Pressure for Aus A in must-win clash

Australia A are set for a must-win clash with India B in Bengaluru today, with allrounder Ashton Agar expecting the pressure situation to "bring out the best" in the tourists.

After losing their opening fixture of the rain-marred series to India A by five wickets last Thursday, the Australians responded with a strong 32-run win over South Africa A.

They now meet India B – the only unbeaten team in the quadrangular series and likely finalists – and must win to have a hope of featuring in Wednesday's decider (a win to India A over South Africa A would leave the Australians out of contention if they were unable to secure a bonus point).

Led by a century from captain Travis Head, Australia A performed strongly in their do-or-die encounter against South Africa A last Saturday, and Agar believes the visitors can produce a repeat effort against the locals today.

"The high-pressure situations make you play better," he said after Saturday's win.

"As elite cricketers we want those situations, we want to play under pressure and it brings out the best in our skills.

"Today it got a little closer than we thought it might during the middle overs but we held our nerve really well."

Agar has been one of Australia A's standout performers in the two matches in India to date, making miserly contributions with the ball (2-73 from 20 overs in total) and playing as the situation demanded with the bat; in their opening match against India A, he top-scored with 34 from 40 balls, while against the South Africans, he smashed 17no from just four deliveries to help his side to what proved a winning total.

Head's returns of 28 and 110 have not harmed the South Australian's credentials, though the two four-day fixtures in Vizag look likely to be decisive in terms of selections to the Test squad for the Pakistan series in October.

Test coach Justin Langer, who is not in India but has been monitoring from his home base in Perth, would likely have been pleased to see incumbent opener Matt Renshaw batting untroubled in the second match, with the Queenslander biffing a powerful 42no from 29 deliveries.

Among the other Test hopefuls, the sole influential contribution has been from Warriors quick Jhye Richardson, who claimed 3-27 in Australia A's first game before being rested for the second.

"Speaking to a lot of the other guys, they often say patience is the key in India," Richardson said after his impressive haul.

"Don't get greedy. Hit the stumps as much as you can and really put pressure on the batsmen. Be as patient as possible … if the wickets are slow and low, then that's the way to get batsmen out, by putting the pressure on and building dot balls."

Today's match begins at 1.30pm AEST, with India A and South Africa A playing concurrently.

Australia A Tour of India

Australia A one-day squad: Travis Head (c), Alex Carey (vc), Ashton Agar, Peter Handscomb, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Michael Neser, Joel Paris, Matthew Renshaw, Jhye Richardson, D'Arcy Short, Billy Stanlake, Mitch Swepson, Chris Tremain, Jack Wildermuth

Schedule

One-day fixtures

17 August v India A: Match abandoned

19 August v South Africa A: Match abandoned

21 August v India B: Match abandoned

23 August v India A - lost by five wickets.

25 August v South Africa A - won by 32 runs.

27 August v India B

29 August - Quad-Series Final, third place play-off

Australia A four-day squad: Mitchell Marsh (c), Alex Carey (vc), Ashton Agar, Brendan Doggett, Peter Handscomb, Travis Head, Jon Holland, Usman Khawaja, Michael Neser, Joel Paris, Kurtis Patterson, Matthew Renshaw, Mitch Swepson, Chris Tremain

Four-day fixtures in Vizag

2-5 September v India A

8-11 September v India A