Dhruv Jurel's 99* and Devdutt Padikkal's 80 power India A to 291/7 on Day 1 of 2nd NZ A game

India A captain Dhruv Jurel was unbeaten on 99, and Devdutt Padikkal continued his purple patch with another fifty (80) as the visitors scored 291 for seven at stumps on Day 1 of the ongoing second unofficial Test.

New Zealand A won the toss and sent India A into bat first, removing opener Yashasvi Jaiswal for a four-ball duck in the first over. Sai Sudharsan and Padikkal stitched a 91-run stand for the second wicket, before Sudharsan fell for 41. Yash Rathod, who impressed with a fifty in the second innings of the first unofficial Test, departed early for 13.

The man in form, Padikkal, who scored a game-saving 199 in the first match, missed out on his successive hundred by 20 runs. He scored 80 off 140 balls, hitting 12 fours. Domestic star Smaran Ravichandran was the next to depart on a first-ball duck, leaving India reeling at 137 for five.

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India all-rounder Washington Sundar couldn’t provide much assistance to his captain Jurel, as he fell for just eight, piling up more misery for the visitors. At 160 for six, India A looked in trouble, only for Jurel and the tail to save their sinking ship.

The keeper-batter added 62 runs for the seventh wicket with spinner Manav Suthar, who scored 22 runs, before a partnership with seamer Akash Deep, who whacked a six and three fours for his unbeaten 25, helped India A sit in the driver’s seat.

Following a mediocre outing in the series opener in Lincoln, Jurel roared back to form with an unbeaten 99 so far in the first innings. He scored 11 fours and three sixes during a 155-ball stay at the crease.

For New Zealand A, seamer Fraser Sheat picked up four wickets for 50 runs, while Brett Randell, Jarrod McKay and Jayden Lennox returned with one wicket each.