IND A vs NZ A: Yashasvi Jaiswal hits unbeaten 155 as 2nd Unofficial Test ends in a draw

India A opener Yashasvi Jaiswal roared back to form with a brilliant unbeaten 155 against New Zealand A on the fourth and final day of the recently concluded second unofficial Test in Christchurch. Yash Rathod, who impressed with his gritty 66 in the first match, also completed his magnificent first-class hundred just 10 balls after tea. The two teams shook hands soon after, with India A's scorecard reading 282 for two.

India A resumed at 32/0 after a rain-delayed start by 90 minutes. Jaiswal and Sai Sudharsan faced a stern test upfront with winds blowing under overcast skies. New Zealand A seamer Jarrod McKay used an old ploy against Sudharsan by bowling into his pads and keeping a leg gully, a square leg and midwicket in place. The trick worked as McKay accounted for the underfire left-hander Sudharsan, as he found Tim Robinson at leg gully for 11 off 34 balls.

Brett Randell then picked up the big fish in Devdutt Padikkal off a first ball. The in-form Indian batter, who smashed a brilliant game-saving 199 in the series opener in Lincoln, received a Jaffa off the first ball, departing for a rare golden duck. Randell bowled a straight one that came in a bit after pitching and knocked off Padikkal’s off-stump.

Watching India A’s top order fall apart like a pack of cards, Jaiswal didn’t let the pressure come onto him, as he whacked the first ball he faced for an off-side boundary off McKay before unsettling Randell with some crispy shots. At the other end, Rathod gained confidence watching Jaiswal unleash his game.

The two batters began building a crucial stand, starting with quick singles and doubles before occasionally opening their arms. Jaiswal, who registered scores of 17, 5 and 0 so far in three innings, got going. Be it the pull shots, off the pads, straight and cover drives and his favourite cut shots, Jaiswal kept hitting all for four. Batting on 95, the attacking opener clobbered one over midwicket to bring up his hundred in 119 deliveries.

WATCH Jaiswal completes 100 -

With Fraser Sheat and Jayden Lennox unavailable to bowl on the final day due to respective injuries, New Zealand A felt the heat. Rathod too made inroads in his second game on this shadow tour. While he maintained his composure throughout the innings and kept giving strike to Jaiswal, Rathod didn’t let a scoring chance go to waste. The Vidarbha batter scored a magnificent 100, as the two added 247 runs for the third wicket.

With the first two unofficial Tests ending in draws, the third and final one in Lincoln will hold all the keys, also considering that ace seamer Jasprit Bumrah would likely feature in that game.