Auqib Nabi came up with a brilliant spell with the new ball, putting India A in a strong position to pull off a remarkable win against New Zealand A in the first unofficial Test. However, fading light brought an end to the contest on Tuesday, with the match finishing in a draw despite the hosts being reduced to 187/9 while chasing 313.

India A had set New Zealand A a challenging target after declaring their second innings at 516. Nabi then made the most of the conditions, picking up three wickets in his opening spell to put the hosts under immediate pressure.

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New Zealand A were struggling at 14/3 before Curtis Heaphy and Dean Foxcroft steadied the innings with a 78-run partnership for the fourth wicket. Despite losing wickets at regular intervals later in the day, the hosts managed to hold on until the umpires called off play due to poor light.

With 17 overs still remaining, India A were left disappointed as they missed out on a chance to secure a memorable victory.

Auqib Nabi’s New-Ball Spell Puts New Zealand A Under Pressure

Nabi was the standout bowler for India A, using the movement on offer to trouble the New Zealand A batters. The pacer finished with figures of 3/28 in 10 overs, dismissing the hosts’ captain Rhys Mariu, Tim Robinson and Matthew Boyle in quick succession.

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All three batters fell to deliveries that moved into them, leaving New Zealand A in deep trouble early in the chase.

At 14/3, India A had a genuine chance of wrapping up the match with a session to spare. However, Heaphy and Foxcroft had other plans.

Heaphy remained unbeaten on 90, while Foxcroft scored 42. Their partnership not only helped New Zealand A recover but also consumed valuable overs, making India’s task more difficult.

India A Bowlers Keep Striking As New Zealand A Lose Nine Wickets

Mukesh Choudhary broke the fourth-wicket stand by dismissing Foxcroft with a short delivery. India A then continued to chip away at the opposition’s batting line-up.

Devdutt Padikkal also contributed with his off-spin, picking up two wickets as New Zealand A struggled to build another substantial partnership.

Akash Deep provided another important breakthrough when he bowled Simon Keene with a delivery that moved away and hit the off-stump. New Zealand A were reduced to 170/9 in 55.3 overs, leaving India A just one wicket away from victory.

However, Heaphy and last batter Jayden Lennox managed to survive for nearly 10 overs. The fading light also affected the bowling plans, with the umpires at one stage preventing the fast bowlers from operating.

Mukesh Choudhary was even seen bowling left-arm spin from a short run-up as the conditions worsened.

The weather remained cold and windy throughout the day, with KL Rahul, Yashasvi Jaiswal and Padikkal wearing beanies to protect themselves from the chilly conditions.

Devdutt Padikkal’s 199 Stands Out Despite India A’s Draw

While India A missed out on victory, Padikkal’s performance with the bat was one of the biggest positives from the match.

After India A conceded a 204-run first-innings lead, the left-hander led the recovery with a superb 199 in the second innings. He had scored 32 in the first innings, making his comeback effort even more significant.

His knock helped India A recover from a difficult position and set New Zealand A a target of 313. Padikkal also made an impact with the ball, claiming two wickets during the final innings.

The performances of Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rahul and India A captain Dhruv Jurel, however, will be a concern for the team management. The three batters managed only 17 and 5, 0 and 4, and 1 and 2, respectively across their two innings.

The team management would have hoped for better returns from the players who are part of India’s wider Test setup.

Akash Deep’s Late Hitting Takes India A Past 500

India A resumed the final day at 488/8 and went on to cross the 500-run mark, thanks to some aggressive batting from Akash Deep.

The fast bowler smashed 25 off just 17 balls, including three sixes, helping India A finish their second innings at 516 and set up the challenging target.

His late contribution proved valuable as India A looked to force a result after falling behind in the first innings.

Yash Rathod Emerges As Another Positive For India A

Apart from Padikkal, Yash Rathod also gave the selectors something to consider ahead of India’s upcoming two-match Test series against South Africa, scheduled to begin on November 19.

The Vidarbha batter scored 44 in the first innings and followed it up with 66 in the second. As the only uncapped batter in India’s top six, Rathod showed encouraging temperament across both innings.

His ability to contribute in difficult circumstances could help strengthen his case for future opportunities.

India A will now turn their attention to the second unofficial Test against New Zealand A, which begins on October 31 at Hagley Oval in Christchurch.

Brief Scores:

India A 113 and 516 in 123.1 overs (Devdutt Padikkal 199, Sai Sudharsan 91, Yash Rathod 66, Washington Sundar 52, Zak Gibson 3/80).

New Zealand A: 317 and (target 313) 187/9 (Curtis Heaphy 90, Auqib Nabi 3/28, Devdutt Padikkal 2/11). Match Drawn.