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New Zealand A took a sizeable lead on Day 2 of the first unofficial Test, but India A showed promise as they reduced the deficit to 98 runs in their second innings. After bowling out the hosts for 317, Indian openers faltered again, getting out for single-digit scores. Devdutt Padikkal and Sai Sudharsan steadied the ship with their patient knocks in the last session, keeping India A in the game.
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India A pacers dominate 1st session
New Zealand A started Day 2 at an overnight score of 135/3 with a 22-run lead in the bag already. Auqib Nabi was on a hat-trick, but Matthew Boyle negotiated the first delivery well. Nabi created a chance in his second over of the day, but Sudharsan dropped Boyle's catch at third slip.
With his first over of Day 2, Anshul Kamboj dismissed Curtis Heaphy with a bouncer. Heaphy departed after scoring 44 runs from 134 deliveries, featuring three fours. In his next over, he did not let Sudharsan's dropped catch cost India A dearly. He got Boyle caught in the slip cordon by Jaiswal. He scored 17 runs from 31 balls.
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Akash Deep got his first wicket in his 18th over of the innings. He got wicketkeeper-batter Mitchell Hay caught behind for a 36-ball 24. At the end of the first session, New Zealand A were 218/6.
Foxcroft, Clarke extend NZ A’s score
Captain Dhruv Jurel handed the ball to Kamboj after the first session. He delivered by knocking over Simon Keene for a single-digit score. On the other end, Dean Foxcroft kept scoring runs at a good pace. In the 75th over, he completed his half-century from 77 deliveries. Washington Sundar ended Foxcroft's stay at the crease. He managed to get drift on the flighted delivery. Foxcroft missed the ball and was caught in front of the stumps for a 79-ball 51.
Nabi and Deep returned to the attack as the second new ball was taken. In his third over with the second new ball, Nabi got Fraser Sheat caught in the slip cordon by Sudharsan for a single-digit score. With the ninth wicket falling, Kristian Clarke went into an ultra-aggressive mode. He hit a six each off Deep and Kamboj. In the 90th over, Clarke was dismissed by Deep. His contribution was 42 runs from 67 balls. New Zealand A were bowled out for 317, taking a 204-run lead.
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India A’s openers falter again
On the second ball of the innings, Jaiswal got off the mark with a boundary. In Keene's second over, Jaiswal was hurried on with a short ball. He departed for five runs off nine balls. In the next over, Rahul got off the mark with a cover drive for a boundary. In the same over, he threw his wicket away by getting out hit-wicket. His footwork was at fault as he nearly chopped it back to the stumps. But he tried to keep the ball away and ended up hitting the stumps with his bat. The visitors lost both openers for a score of 10 in the fifth over.
Padikkal and Sudharsan were tasked with the opportunity to prevent another collapse. Sheat caused problems for Sudharsan, hitting him on the pad. After the 13th over, Padikkal needed attention from the physio. He survived a scare in the 16th over with Rhys Mariu dropping Padikkal's catch at second slip. Padikkal continued to score at a brisk pace while Sudharsan took a more conservative approach. In the 29th over, Padikkal reached his fifty from 65 balls with a boundary.
At the end of Day 2's play, India A were 106/2. The southpaw duo shared an unbeaten 96-run partnership for the third wicket. Sudharsan faced 104 balls to score 39 runs. On the other end, Padikkal will resume batting on 56 from 89 deliveries.
Jaiswal, Rahul's low scores continue
Before heading to New Zealand, Rahul got one opportunity to bat in the ODI series and scored an unbeaten 129. But in his only Ranji Trophy 2026-27 appearance, the Karnataka batter registered scores of 4 and 1 against Andhra Pradesh. In the first innings of the second unofficial Test against New Zealand A, he was dismissed for an eight-ball duck.
Jaiswal was not at his best on the Sri Lanka tour. He got starts twice in the series but couldn't convert them into big scores. He played Mumbai's Ranji Trophy 2026-27 opener against Chandigarh, where he departed for a 13-ball duck.
Rahul and Jaiswal will have another chance in the second unofficial Test against New Zealand A, which will be played at the same venue, Lincoln's Bert Sutcliffe Oval, starting October 31. Since Jaiswal is not a part of the ODI squad, he may play in the third unofficial Test of the series before the two-Test series against Tom Latham-led side begins on November 19.
What India A need to do on Day 4?
India A would want Padikkal and Sudharsan to carry on. A big knock in the second innings will be a major boost for Sudharsan, who may sit out in the presence of Padikkal, who scored two tons on the Sri Lanka tour at no.3.
Jurel got out for a duck, whereas Sundar was dismissed for just one run in the first innings. They need to redeem themselves in the second innings. Yash Rathod, who scored an unbeaten 44 in the first innings, would look to show that it was not a one-off knock. Also, skipper Jurel would expect contributions from pacers -- Kamboj, Nabi and Deep -- who are capable of contributing with the bat.
India A need to set a target close to 200 at least to challenge the hosts.
India A vs New Zealand A Playing XIs -
New Zealand A: Rhys Mariu (c), Curtis Heaphy, Tim Robinson, Matthew Boyle, Dean Foxcroft, Mitchell Hay (wk), Simon Keene, Kristian Clarke, Fraser Sheat, Jayden Lennox, Zak Gibson.
India A: Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Devdutt Padikkal, Sai Sudharsan, Dhruv Jurel (c & wk), Yash Rathod, Washington Sundar, Anshul Kamboj, Auqib Nabi, Akash Deep, Mukesh Choudhary.
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