Bert Sutcliffe Oval in Lincoln served a stern reality check for India A on the opening day of their unofficial fixture against New Zealand A. With eight members of the senior Test contingent featuring in the playing eleven to acclimatise ahead of the forthcoming two-Test series, expectations were high. However, the batting unit crumbled under testing conditions, folding for a paltry 113 in their first innings on Saturday, October 24.
Top Order Troubles and Early Setbacks
India's Test vice-captain KL Rahul walked out to open the innings with hopes of anchoring the side, having experienced international cricket in New Zealand during prior campaigns. His stay at the crease, however, was cut short abruptly. On the third delivery of the third over, Fraser Sheat found the edge of Rahul's bat, offering wicketkeeper Mitchell Hay a regulation catch. Rahul departed after facing eight balls without opening his account.
Partnering him at the top, Yashasvi Jaiswal displayed brief glimpses of control by striking two boundaries. His vigil lasted 45 deliveries, yielding 17 runs, before Zak Gibson terminated his innings just as he appeared settled. The inability of both openers to construct a substantial opening stand exposed the middle order very early in the day.
Padikkal Resists While Middle Order Falters
Arriving at number three, Karnataka left-hander Devdutt Padikkal emerged as the sole resilient figure among the visitors. Exhibiting commendable discipline, Padikkal compiled 32 runs off 77 balls, studded with five boundaries, recording the highest individual score of India A's innings. His vigil ended on the second ball of the second over following the lunch interval.
Tamil Nadu batter Sai Sudharsan struggled to find his footing against the home side's pacers at number four. After surviving 12 balls, he was clean bowled on the 13th delivery by Simon Keene for a duck. Team captain Dhruv Jurel, who features as the backup wicketkeeper-batter in the primary Test squad, also could not arrest the slide. Jurel managed just a solitary single across 13 deliveries before becoming the fourth wicket to fall.
Lower Order Collapse Guided by Simon Keene
Spin bowling all-rounder Washington Sundar, who had been left out of the West Indies T20 series specifically to prepare for this red-ball assignment, endured an unproductive outing. Zak Gibson removed Sundar for a six-ball duck shortly after the lunch break, deepening India's predicament.
Bengal pacer Akash Deep entered at number ten but lasted only two deliveries before Simon Keene sent him back for zero. Keene maintained unrelenting pressure on the tail, subsequently dismissing Mukesh Choudhary for a seven-ball duck. Keene's disciplined medium-fast bowling yielded exceptional figures of 5 for 24.
Haryana seamer Anshul Kamboj, whose inclusion in the Test roster had surprised many observers, batted at number eight and offered brief resistance by scoring 10 runs off 13 balls, including two hits to the fence. In total, five India A batsmen registered ducks during the innings. With the main series on the horizon, this batting capitulation underlines the pressing need for rapid technical adjustments in local conditions.
