Padikkal's unbeaten 56 steadies India A against New Zealand A

Devdutt Padikkal's unbeaten 56 rescued India A from a fresh collapse on Day 2 of the unofficial Test against New Zealand A at Lincoln's Bert Sutcliffe Oval. After both openers fell for cheap scores, India A were 10 for 2 in the fifth over, with Yashasvi Jaiswal caught behind for five off Simon Keene and Rahul hit wicket for five off Fraser Sheat. Padikkal, who had been caught on 19 earlier, steadied the innings and ended the day on 56 not out. He added an 88‑run third‑wicket stand with fellow left‑hander Sai Sudharsan, who finished on 39 not out. The partnership pushed India A to 106 for 2 at stumps, leaving them 98 runs behind New Zealand A's 317 first‑innings total, which gave the visitors a 204‑run lead. New Zealand's lower order contributed heavily, with Dean Foxcroft scoring 51 and the last four wickets adding 112 runs, including 24 from Mitchell Hay and 42 from Kristian Clarke. For India, pacer Anshul Kamboj claimed 3 for 52 and Auqib Nabi took 3 for 69, while Akash Deep added 2 for 57; Mukesh Choudhary and Washington Sundar each picked up a wicket. ## Context New Zealand A's strong first‑innings performance set a high target, making Padikkal's resistance crucial for keeping the match competitive.