2nd Unofficial Test: Defiant Dhruv Jurel stands tall to keep India-A ahead on day one

India Captain Dhruv Jurel played a defiant unbeaten 99 to help his team recover from a brief middle-order collapse to end the opening day on 291 for seven.

Playing against New Zealand A at the Hagley Oval, India A posted a decent total on the first day of the second innings of the tournament, on a pitch that offered plenty of seam movement and bounce.

Jurel’s innings came as India A threatened to repeat the batting collapse that hurt them in the first unofficial Test. They were reduced to 137 for five after losing four wickets for just seven runs, with a series of poor shots undoing the good work done by their top order.

But the right-hander kept New Zealand A at bay with a measured innings that combined patience with calculated aggression. He was particularly effective against the short ball, using pull and hook shots to put the bowlers under pressure and shift the momentum back towards India A.

At stumps, Jurel was unbeaten on 99 off 155 balls, just one run short of a well-earned century. He found a capable partner in Akash Deep, who batted on 25 as the pair added 69 runs for the eighth wicket to propel India A to a position of strength.

The partnership was the second highest of the day, just behind the 91-run opening stand between Devdutt Padikkal and Sai Sudharsan.

JUREL SAVES INDIA A

India A got off to a comfortable start after losing Yashasvi Jaiswal in the first over. The opener, whose struggles continued after a difficult first unofficial Test, was trapped off the fourth ball of the match by Fraser Sheat. Jaiswal fails again. (AP photo)

Padikkal and Sudharsan then put on 91 runs to steady the innings. Sudharsan made 41 before falling to Jarrod McKay shortly after lunch, but Padikkal continued to look for control. He brought up his half-century in 101 balls and looked well set for another substantial contribution.

However, New Zealand A hit back with a flurry of wickets. Yash Rathod was caught behind Brett Randell before Padikkal’s attempt to cut Sheat disturbed his stumps. Ravichandran Smaran fell for a golden duck in the same over, leaving India A suddenly exposed.

Washington Sundar and Jurel were then tasked with rebuilding the innings. But Washington’s stay was short as he was trapped in front by Sheat, who proved to be the pick of New Zealand’s bowlers.

JUREL, AKASH DEEP TAKE INDIA PAST 290

With India A losing wickets at regular intervals, Jurel and Manav Suthar added some much needed stability. The pair put on 62 runs for the seventh wicket with Jurel reaching his half-century off 93 balls.

Suthar contributed 22 before falling in the final over, leaving Jurel with the responsibility of leading the lower order. The India A captain responded by attacking McKay and pinching the pacer in a sequence of 4, 6 and 4 to add new momentum to the innings.

Akash Deep then joined Jurel and offered stubborn resistance at the other end. Their unbeaten 69 runs ensured that India A did not lose another wicket in front of stumps and took the total to 291 for seven.

On a surface offering seam movement and bounce with the new ball, India A will be happy with their position at the end of the first day. After another collapse threatened to derail their innings, Jurel’s knock gave them a strong platform to build on.

– The end