Dhruv Jurel’s unbeaten 99 lifts India A after early collapse against New Zealand A
India A recovered from a difficult start to reach 291 for 7 on the opening day of the second unofficial Test against New Zealand A at Hagley Oval in Christchurch. Captain and wicketkeeper-batter Dhruv Jurel led the late fightback, finishing just one run short of a century, while Devdutt Padikkal’s composed 80 helped rebuild the innings after an early wicket.
New Zealand A made the most of helpful bowling conditions after choosing to field. Fraser Sheat struck in the first over, trapping Yashasvi Jaiswal lbw for a four-ball duck and immediately putting the visitors under pressure. But India A responded with patience and control, as Padikkal and Sai Sudharsan steadied the innings and blunted the new-ball threat.
Padikkal and Sudharsan rebuild after Jaiswal’s early dismissal
Padikkal and Sudharsan put together a valuable 91-run partnership for the second wicket. Rather than forcing the pace, both batters focused on settling in, choosing their scoring opportunities and preserving their wickets. Their approach carried India A safely to lunch at 87 for 1 and shifted the momentum away from the hosts’ emphatic opening breakthrough.
Sudharsan looked fluent during his 41 from 63 deliveries, but his innings ended shortly after the interval. He was caught by Mitchell Hay off Jarrod McKay, giving New Zealand A the opening they needed to disrupt India’s progress. Yash Rathod joined Padikkal at the crease but could add only 13 before edging Brett Randell to Hay.
At 131 for 3, India A needed another partnership. Padikkal, who has been among the more reliable performers on the tour, continued to provide it. He reached a well-earned half-century and struck 12 boundaries in an innings that combined measured defence with confident stroke play. His dismissal for 80, bowled by Sheat, left the visitors at 137 for 4 and turned a promising platform into a more uncertain position.
Sheat’s spell puts India A under pressure
Sheat was the standout bowler for New Zealand A, using the conditions and maintaining pressure through disciplined lines. After removing Jaiswal early, he returned to dismiss Padikkal and then struck twice in quick succession. Smaran Ravichandran was trapped lbw for a duck, while Washington Sundar was also adjudged lbw for eight.
Those wickets left India A at 160 for 6, with the innings in danger of losing its shape. Sheat’s four-wicket haul was central to the hosts’ recovery, and his figures of 4 for 50 from 19 overs reflected the control he maintained across a long spell. Randell, McKay and Jayden Lennox also claimed a wicket each, ensuring India A had to work hard for every run.
For followers of cricket, the day offered a familiar Test-match pattern: an early collapse, a stabilising partnership and a late lower-order stand that changed the scoreline. The conditions at Hagley Oval gave the seamers encouragement, but India A’s ability to recover showed the value of patience and partnerships in a longer format. Any prediction about the match’s eventual direction remains premature, though New Zealand A will know that removing Jurel early on day two could be crucial.
Jurel anchors the recovery and closes in on a century
Jurel took responsibility as wickets fell, balancing caution with the need to keep the scoreboard moving. He first built a 62-run partnership with Manav Suthar, who contributed 22. That stand helped India A regain some stability and pushed the innings beyond the immediate danger created by Sheat’s burst.
After Suthar’s departure, Jurel found another useful partner in Akash Deep. The pair showed resolve through the closing stages, refusing to let New Zealand A finish the day with a clean sweep of the lower order. Their unbroken 69-run partnership carried India A past 250 and gave the visitors a far more respectable total by stumps.
Jurel ended the day on 99 not out, having produced an innings of considerable value as well as personal significance. He had already passed fifty and looked increasingly assured as the innings progressed. With a century within reach, his first task on the second morning will be to complete the milestone while helping India A add as many runs as possible. Akash Deep, meanwhile, will aim to continue providing support from the other end.
Jurel’s innings was particularly important because it came after India A had lost momentum in the middle order. Rather than allowing the tail to be exposed, he managed the strike, built partnerships and kept the innings alive. That composure helped turn a potentially disappointing first day into a competitive one for the visitors.
What the first day means for the second unofficial Test
India A’s total of 291 for 7 leaves the contest finely poised. New Zealand A enjoyed the better of the early and middle sessions, with Sheat leading an effective attack, but Jurel and Akash ensured the hosts did not end the day firmly on top. The remaining wickets and the size of India A’s eventual first-innings total will shape the next phase of the match.
For India A, the challenge will be to convert Jurel’s near-century into a meaningful score and then use the ball effectively. For New Zealand A, the priority is clear: strike early, prevent the lower order from adding a substantial final contribution and build a strong response with the bat. The opening day has set up an intriguing contest between India’s resilience and New Zealand’s disciplined seam bowling.
Brief scores: India A 291/7 (Dhruv Jurel 99*, Devdutt Padikkal 80; Fraser Sheat 4/50) vs New Zealand A.
