Pandey confident of India's fightback with the ball

Emerging batsman Manish Pandey is confident India A can claw back into the four-day contest against Australia A in Brisbane despite suffering a major collapse with the bat on day one.

After winning the toss and batting on a flat pitch, India A lost seven wickets in the final session to be bowled out for a sub par 230. They were set for a healthy first innings total at 188/3 at the tea break before being bamboozled by legspinner Mitchell Swepson (4-78 from 21 overs) and Australia's trio of pacemen late in the day.

It was a highly disappointing result for India A after a disciplined approach in the opening session saw left-handed openers Akhil Herwadkar and Faiz Fazal thwart Australia A's dangerous attack. Runs were at a trickle but, importantly, India A's wickets remained intact at lunch and an ideal platform had been laid for their explosive middle-order to run riot.

Unfortunately for the visitors, Pandey played a lone hand with the No.4 energising the staid affair with blistering batting during a memorable onslaught in the second session. Only two days shy of turning 27, Pandey was enjoying an early birthday present smashing the Australia A attack to all parts of the Allan Border Field.

After smashing 13 boundaries and a six during his swashbuckling 75-ball 77, Pandey's dismissal triggered an India A collapse with the middle and lower order providing little resistance.

Speaking to the media after the day's play, Pandey said India A's late collapse had undone much of the team's good work earlier in the day. "We lost too many wickets after tea, that was not our plan," he said.

Facing six overs before stumps, Australia A's openers Joe Burns and Cameron Bancroft looked unruffled as the hosts seek a big first innings lead.

Despite Australia A's vaunted openers looking untroubled, Pandey backed India A to fight back with the ball on day two. "I think we have got good bowling strength to defend the total," he said. "You never know, anything can happen in cricket. We didn't expect that, losing wickets after tea wasn't our plan, but we'll come back with the ball."

Openers Herwadkar and Fazal started particularly slowly, only scoring at two runs an over during the first session, reminiscent of staid batting from a bygone era.

"They bowled well but we wanted to see the (opening) batsmen through (to lunch) and spend as much time on the wicket as possible," Pandey said. "They did the job for us pretty much."

The Kookaburra pink ball is being used in this match and has black stitching in a notable tweak from the ball used during the historic day-night Test in Adelaide, last December. The ball used in Adelaide had white and green stitching, but the black stitching is believed to ensure better visibility and this modification is being trialled in a bid to alleviate some of the criticisms reared in the aftermath of Adelaide.

First time playing against the pink ball, Pandey said it was "similar to the white ball". "I had the mindset of a one-dayer it was good fun batting with this (pink ball)," he said. "Back home, we play with the SG (ball) which swings more than the one here.

"It was difficult to see the seam, but the ball doesn't do too much so it doesn't come into play too much," he added.