Padikkal, India’s mega comeback riding Sudharsan, warm-up race number 3 before the Test series

Devdutt Padikkal and Sai Sudharsan saved India A from another top-order collapse to turn the unofficial first Test against New Zealand A in Lincoln on its head. After losing KL Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal in the first five overs of their second innings, India desperately needed a bounce from their batsmen.

Padikkal hit a sensational 199 and Sudharsan scored 91 to arrest the slide, helping India A reach 488 for 8 and take a 284-run lead by the end of Day 3. Their partnership also added an interesting dimension to the contest for India’s No.3 spot in Test cricket.

Padikkal, who joined the Indian team after Sudharsan was injured during the Test series against Sri Lanka, made the most of his opportunity with two centuries in two Test matches. He also scored a hundred in a tournament match before this series.

His last innings, played after India A lost two early wickets for the second time in the match, will only strengthen his claim for a place in the Test side. Meanwhile, Sudharsan reminded the selectors of his own abilities, providing the stability that allowed Padikkal to attack and helping India A recover from a precarious position to take control of the match.

PADIKKAL-SUDHARSAN PARTNERSHIP

India A’s second innings recovery came after the top order failed twice in the match. The visitors were dismissed first for just 113, allowing New Zealand A to take a 204-run first innings lead after scoring 317. When India A returned to bat, the innings threatened to fall apart again, with KL Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal dismissed in the first five overs on 2.

Jaiswal was caught on the bouncer while Rahul was bowled after playing a delivery that trickled to his stumps. With India A once again in trouble, Padikkal and Sudharsan were left to rebuild the innings, this time with the added pressure of overcoming a sizeable deficit.

Padikkal continued on Day 3 on 56 and picked up where he left off, while Sudharsan continued on 39. The two left-handers settled into a steady rhythm despite the strong wind across the ground, punishing loose deliveries and keeping the scoreboard moving.

Padikkal was the more aggressive of the pair. He reached his 12th first-class century with a six off Jayden Lennox and continued to put pressure on the New Zealand A attack. Meanwhile, Sudharsan provided stability at the other end as their partnership crossed the 200-run mark to put India A in the lead.

The 215-run stand eventually came to an end when Sudharsan was dismissed for 91, short of a century, after finishing a short delivery to the fielder behind square.

Padikkal continued the attack alongside Yash Rathod, with the pair adding 142 runs off 142 balls. Rathod scored 66 before falling to Tea while Padikkal was dismissed for 199 in controversial circumstances, adjudged to have been caught behind leg by Zak Gibson. The left-hander appeared unhappy with the decision and indicated to the umpire that there was a considerable gap between his bat and the ball.

His innings came from 248 deliveries and included 24 boundaries and three sixes. India A did not let his departure halt their progress, with Washington Sundar not out on 51 at stumps. From 113 all out in their first innings, the visitors raced to 488 for 8, building a 284-run lead and putting New Zealand A under pressure heading into the final day.

DOES PADIKKAL HOLD AN EDGE?

Padikkal’s case rests on the way he seized the opportunity in the Indian Test team. He was not originally part of India’s first team plans for the Sri Lanka series, but Sudharsan’s injury opened the door for him. The Karnataka batsman has responded with centuries in both the Test matches he has played, convincingly for himself in the middle order.

He also scored a hundred in tournament play before the Test series, showing that his form was not limited to international matches. His performances against Sri Lanka demonstrated his ability to handle spin and his innings of 199 against New Zealand A offered further evidence of his adaptability to pace.

Conditions in Lincoln were far from easy, with strong winds affecting today’s play and New Zealand A looking to capitalize on India’s early vulnerabilities. Padikkal’s ability to take the attack to the bowlers, score a century with a six and keep the scoring going at a brisk pace made his innings particularly significant.

He was dismissed just one run short of two centuries, but the bigger point was the extent of his contribution. After India A were bowled out for 113 and again lost two early wickets, Padikkal added the necessary substance to the innings and put his team in a position to push for victory.

His recent record in red-ball cricket makes him a strong contender for the No.3 spot when India return to Test action.

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