1st Unofficial Test: Padikkal in heroic vain as bad light robs India of heroic comeback win

India-A’s incredible comeback in the first unofficial Test against New Zealand A ended without a winner on Tuesday, October 27, after bad light brought the contest to an early end in Lincoln. New Zealand A were left with one wicket in hand after Akash Deep struck in the closing overs, but their last-wicket pair lasted nearly 10 overs before fading light stopped play.

The first threat of bad light came earlier in the final over as India cruised to victory. With the umpires warning that the batsmen would have to leave the field if India continued to pace their bowling, captain Dhruv Jurel turned to fast bowler Mukesh Choudhary for spin to help keep the match alive. The referees discuss the conditions at Lincon. (Screengrab: SonyLiv)

The race for the last two wickets became a battle against the lights and New Zealand resistance. India recovered from being bowled out for 113 in their first innings to set the hosts a target of 313, only to see their hopes of completing a remarkable turnaround dashed as the final wicket partnership was solid.

PADIKKAL, SUDHARSAN THE LEAD OF INDIA-A RECOVERY

India-A spent most of the first two days trying to find their feet. They were bowled out for just 113 in their first innings on a greenish surface that offered plenty of help to the fast bowlers. New Zealand A were in the running, scoring 317 and taking a 204-run lead.

India’s second innings got off to an equally poor start. KL Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal fell in the first five overs, leaving the visitors staring at another collapse. An opening defeat after such a poor start would be an ominous sign for India-A at the start of their tour.

Instead, Devdutt Padikkal and Sai Sudharsan started turning the match.

The pair added 215 runs and took control of an innings that threatened to fall apart. Sudharsan, who returned to India’s red-ball line-up after injury, anchored the recovery with a composed 91. Padikkal, already in fine form, went one step further, scoring 199 before falling to a controversial umpire’s decision.

As New Zealand’s first-innings advantage was wiped out, the rest of India’s batting order began to contribute. Yash Rathod and Washington Sundar hit important half-centuries while late cameos from Auqib Nabi and Akash Deep pushed India-A to 516 in their second innings.

The target was 313 and India needed their bowlers to deliver after New Zealand dominated the first innings.

IND-A BOWLER PUT NZ-A UNDER PRESSURE

Auqib Nabi led the charge with his ability to attack the stumps and keep the batsmen pinned. Akash Deep was equally effective, finding lengths that made scoring difficult and keeping the pressure on New Zealand’s lower order.

Nabi’s third wicket of the innings was particularly impressive. Bowled from the wicket to left-hander Matthew Boyle, he beat the batsman’s defense and rattled the stumps.

Auqib Nabi is playing really well in NZ. I feel his name will be added to the main team soon. Harshit (@I_am_Harshit_17) October 26, 2026

At tea on Day 4, India-A were within reach of a remarkable victory, provided the weather and light held. Mukesh Choudhary and Anshul Kamboj struck at regular intervals while Padikkal took two catches to get out of New Zealand’s lower order, both taken by KL Rahul.

Another positive for India-A was Kamboj’s bowling. He bounced around the wicket to the right-handers and repeatedly beat the outside edge while keeping the batsmen under pressure. His angles attracted attention as bowling around the wicket for a right-hander is not a commonly used strategy in red-ball cricket. Anshul Kamboj takes a wicket in the 1st Unofficial Test. (Screengrab: SonyLiv)

Just as India started to close in, a 46-ball partnership between Curtis Heaphy and Simon Keene threatened to delay the end. The poor light added another complication, forcing India to rethink how they could continue bowling without the umpires taking the players off the field.

With pace bowling no longer a viable option in the prevailing light, Jurel turned to Mukesh Choudhary to spin. The decision allowed India to continue in the contest and look for the remaining wickets.

CURTIS HEAPHY’S RESISTANCE

Heaphy opened the New Zealand A innings and was still at the crease at the end, finishing unbeaten on 90 from 187 balls. His innings was crucial to the hosts’ bid to salvage the match, especially as wickets fell around him.

New Zealand A batted out 65 overs, a total of 390 balls, in their chase. Heaphy faced 187 of them, almost half the deliveries bowled by his team. As an opener, he had to negotiate with India’s top-line bowlers before guiding the lower order through the closing stages, protecting his partners while keeping New Zealand’s hopes of a draw alive.

His resistance became even more important after Akash Deep struck in the final session. The Indian pacer produced a swinger that proved too good for Keene, who was struggling with a hamstring injury. Defeated by the movement, Keene played the wrong line and followed his stumps, leaving New Zealand A one wicket down.

India needed one more breakthrough to complete the comeback. But Heaphy and Jayden Lennox held on and batted for nearly 10 overs as India searched for the final wicket.

BAD LIGHT DENIES INDIA-A

Luck again went against India when bad light halted play with 17 overs left in the day. The referees stopped the match as poor light and a cold wind made conditions difficult and the players remained off the pitch for more than an hour while officials assessed the situation.

When the umpires brought out the exposure meters, Lennox and Heaphy were still in the crease. The New Zealand batsmen looked relieved while the Indian players engaged in discussions with the umpires. NZ batsmen walk off the field. (Screengrab: SonyLiv)

The match was eventually called off, denying India-A the victory that seemed within reach after their remarkable recovery. Heaphy’s unbeaten 90 and his ability to protect the tail as New Zealand fought for survival proved crucial for the hosts to secure a draw.

India-A will take confidence from their reply after being bowled out for 113 and from the pressure their bowlers built up in the fourth innings. New Zealand A, meanwhile, can take encouragement from their first-innings dominance and resilience that helped them escape with a draw in a match threatened with elimination.

– The end