At Lincoln on Day 2, India A extended their dominance in the 3rd unofficial Test against New Zealand A, declaring their first innings on 464/5 across 146 overs and establishing a commanding 428-run lead. New Zealand A, in reply, reached 36/2 at stumps on the second day’s play, with Dean Foxcroft on 10 and Zak Gibson on 1 at the crease.
India A had resumed the morning session on 227/2, and the lower-middle order batters built substantially on that platform. Captain Dhruv Jurel contributed 71 off 95 balls, striking 9 fours and 2 sixes, having resumed overnight on 12. Tilak Varma remained unbeaten on 81, hitting 5 fours and 2 sixes, while Washington Sundar finished unbeaten on 50, his knock containing 2 fours. Sai Sudharsan, who had resumed overnight on 77, added 11 more runs before being dismissed by Gibson for 88.
Ravindra Jadeja chipped in with 25 before departing, and several partnerships shaped the innings. Jurel and Tilak added 31 runs together, while Tilak and Jadeja put on 44. The most productive stand of the day was the unfinished 114-run partnership between Tilak Varma and Washington Sundar, which pushed India A to a position from which they could declare with confidence.
On the opening day, Yashasvi Jaiswal had anchored the innings with 102 off 138 balls, his second century of the tour, laying the foundation for the total that followed.
How did Prasidh Krishna perform on his return?
Prasidh Krishna, returning to the side after recovering from a left hamstring injury, made an immediate impact with the ball. He removed both New Zealand A openers, Rhys Mariu and Curtis Heaphy, to finish with 2 wickets and put India A in control of the second innings from the outset. His return to competitive cricket in this match was a notable development ahead of the India Test series against New Zealand, which begins November 19, 2026.
Cameron Paul was among the New Zealand A bowlers who featured during India A’s first innings, with Gibson also picking up a wicket, dismissing Sudharsan for 88.
What does a lead for the Indians mean for the match situation?
With New Zealand A on 36/2 at stumps on Day 2, trailing by 428 runs, the hosts face a steep task over the remaining days of the November 7-10 fixture at Lincoln. India A’s total of 464/5 declared, built from a resumption of 227/2, reflects contributions across the batting order rather than reliance on a single performer.
