KL Rahul, Yashasvi Jaiswal fail as India A bowled out for 113 against New Zealand A

India A Bowled Out for 113 as Simon Keene Leads New Zealand A’s Seam Attack

India A endured a difficult opening day in their first unofficial Test against New Zealand A, losing all ten wickets for 113 in 39.3 overs at Bert Sutcliffe Oval in Lincoln on October 24. On a green, seam-friendly surface, the hosts’ fast bowlers made the most of the conditions, with Simon Keene taking five wickets to put New Zealand A firmly in control.

Sent in to bat, India A struggled to settle against the moving ball. Their top order fell cheaply, and regular wickets prevented the visitors from building the partnerships needed to post a competitive first-innings total. Yash Rathod offered the strongest resistance, finishing unbeaten on 44 from 49 deliveries, but received limited support as New Zealand A’s seamers maintained pressure throughout the innings.

Green Pitch Gives New Zealand A Early Advantage

The conditions at Lincoln appeared to favour the bowlers from the outset. A covering of grass offered movement for the seamers, and New Zealand A responded by attacking the stumps and testing the Indian batters with disciplined lines. All ten wickets fell to the home side’s four right-arm seamers, underlining how effectively they used the surface.

Fraser Sheat struck early, dismissing KL Rahul for a duck in the third over. Rahul faced eight balls before departing, leaving India A to rebuild almost immediately. Yashasvi Jaiswal and Devdutt Padikkal briefly steadied the innings, combining for 30 runs for the second wicket as they looked to blunt the new ball.

Zak Gibson broke that stand by having Jaiswal caught by Matthew Boyle for 17. The opener had spent 45 balls at the crease, but India A could not turn his start into a substantial contribution. Padikkal looked more settled, striking five boundaries in his 32 from 77 deliveries, yet Gibson removed him before the left-hander could anchor a recovery.

Keene’s Five-Wicket Haul Triggers India A Collapse

Keene took charge as India A’s innings began to unravel. Sai Sudharsan was dismissed for a 13-ball duck, and captain Dhruv Jurel followed soon after, scoring just one before Rhys Mariu held the catch off Keene’s bowling. Washington Sundar also failed to score, leaving India A at 58 for six and placing the lower order under immediate pressure.

Keene finished with figures of five for 24 from 11.3 overs. After removing Sudharsan and Jurel, he returned to dismiss Auqib Nabi, Akash Deep and Mukesh Choudhary, bringing the innings to a close. His ability to sustain pressure and take wickets at key moments made him the standout performer of the day.

Gibson provided excellent support, claiming three for 29. Sheat and Kristian Clarke took one wicket apiece, completing a collective effort in which every member of the four-man seam attack contributed. New Zealand A’s bowlers kept India A from establishing a meaningful partnership after Padikkal’s dismissal, turning a promising start into a rapid collapse.

Yash Rathod’s Unbeaten 44 Provides Late Resistance

Rathod’s innings was the main positive for India A. Batting amid the loss of wickets, he scored 44 not out from 49 balls, including three fours and three sixes. His willingness to counterattack helped the visitors move past 100 and prevented the innings from ending at an even lower total.

Rathod found brief support from Anshul Kamboj, who made 10 before Clarke ended their partnership. With the recognised batters gone, Rathod continued to score alongside the tail, using the scoring opportunities available rather than simply defending. His contribution offered a reminder that even on a challenging surface, positive intent can help a batter disrupt the bowling side’s rhythm.

However, one innings cannot carry a team through a four-day match. India A will need more players to contribute in their next opportunity, particularly by showing patience outside off stump, trusting their defensive technique and building partnerships that put pressure back on the opposition.

Important Preparation Ahead of India’s Test Series

The three unofficial Tests are designed to help emerging and fringe players adjust to New Zealand conditions ahead of the senior Indian team’s two-match Test series. While the senior side is also facing the Black Caps in a T20I series, the longer-format fixtures provide a different challenge: sustained concentration, disciplined shot selection and the ability to cope with movement over extended periods.

For India A, the opening-day result highlights the value of this preparation. A green pitch in New Zealand can expose technical weaknesses, especially when batters are unfamiliar with the pace, bounce and lateral movement on offer. The visitors’ response in the remainder of the match will therefore matter as much as the first-innings score. Their bowlers will need to keep New Zealand A’s advantage manageable, while the batting group will have an opportunity to demonstrate greater composure in its next innings.

The match also offers useful experience for players seeking to strengthen their claims for higher honours. Performances in challenging overseas conditions can provide a more revealing measure of adaptability than runs scored on familiar pitches. Rathod’s counterattacking knock was one encouraging sign, while the Indian top order will be keen to turn the lessons of the opening day into a stronger showing.

What to Expect Next: India A’s Recovery Prediction

New Zealand A hold the clear advantage after dismissing India A for 113, but the match remains a valuable test of the visitors’ resilience. The key prediction for India A’s next innings is that a more measured approach will be essential: batters must avoid chasing deliveries outside their scoring areas and focus on surviving the opening spells before looking to attack.

India A will also hope their seamers can exploit the same conditions and prevent New Zealand A from building a decisive lead. If the visitors can take early wickets, the contest could become more balanced. The second unofficial Test is scheduled to begin at Hagley Oval in Christchurch on October 31, followed by the third and final match in Lincoln from November 7.