Jurel 99* rescues India A after Padikkal strikes 80
India A collapsed from 131/2 to 160/6, before Jurel anchored the middle and lower order to take the visitors to a respectable 291/7 on Day 1
India A recovered from an early setback through substantial contributions from Devdutt Padikkal (80) and Dhruv Jurel (99*) to reach 291/7 against New Zealand A on the opening day of the second unofficial Test at Hagley Oval in Christchurch.
Electing to bowl first under helpful conditions, the hosts struck immediately. Fraser Sheat provided the initial breakthrough in the very first over, trapping Yashasvi Jaiswal leg-before for a four-ball duck. Sai Sudharsan was then joined by Padikkal to lead the recovery.
The duo saw off the new ball threat with aplomb, and put on 91 runs for the second wicket to stabilise the innings. They took India safely to lunch at 87/1 but a breakthrough was just around the corner for the home side. Looking in good nick, Sudharsan contributed a fluent 41 off 63 balls before being caught by Mitchell Hay off Jarrod McKay in the second over after the break.
Coming in at No. 4, Yash Rathod added 13 before edging Brett Randell to Hay, leaving India A at 131/3 and in search of another partnership. Meanwhile, Padikkal continued his rich vein of form on the tour, bringing up an elegant half-century and anchoring the top order with 12 boundaries. He eventually fell for 80, bowled by Sheat, putting India in a spot of bother at 137/4. That soon became 137/5 and then 160/6 as Sheat struck again in quick succession, dismissing Smaran Ravichandran for a duck and Washington Sundar for eight, both lbw, to dent the visitors further.
Jurel anchored the middle and lower order, constructing vital stands alongside Manav Suthar and subsequently Akash Deep. The wicketkeeper-batter notched up a fluent half-century before closing in on a well-deserved hundred by the backend of the day's play. En route his 99*, the India A captain first added 62 runs with Suthar, who contributed 22, before joining forces with Akash to ensure India A finished the day strongly. Akash, too, offered staunch support down the order, enabling India A to overcome their middle-order wobble to push past the 250-run mark before stumps were drawn. Their unbroken 69-run stand took India to a respectable 291/7.
Sheat was the pick of the New Zealand A bowlers, returning figures of 4/50 from 19 overs, while Randell, McKay and Jayden Lennox picked up a wicket apiece.
Brief scores: India A 291/7 (Dhruv Jurel 99*, Devdutt Padikkal 80; Fraser Sheat 4-50) vs New Zealand A
