Test cricket news: Jaiswal and Rathod centuries earn India A draw against New Zealand A

Yashasvi Jaiswal and Yash Rathod hit unbeaten centuries as India A drew the second unofficial Test against New Zealand A at Hagley Oval in Christchurch, Hindustan Times reported.

Match report

Counterattacking centuries from Yashasvi Jaiswal and Yash Rathod were the highlight of the final day of play as India A and New Zealand A settled for a draw in the second unofficial Test at Hagley Oval in Christchurch on Tuesday, Sportstar reported.

The pair put on an unbeaten 247-run partnership off just 245 balls to take India A to 282 for 2 in the second innings, after which the two captains shook hands to seal the result, Sportstar reported.

India A finished on 282 for 2, ahead by 204 runs, Hindustan Times reported.

India A’s second innings

India A did not enjoy an ideal start, Hindustan Times reported. They lost Sai Sudarshan for 11 and Devdutt Padikkal for a duck before Rathod joined Jaiswal, Hindustan Times reported.

Sportstar said Sudharsan endured a soft dismissal, chipping a ball into the hands of leg-gully in the first over of the day, while Padikkal was bowled first ball by a peach from Brett Randell in the very next over.

India A were trailing by 43 runs when the two came together, Hindustan Times reported. 68, Hindustan Times reported. Rathod made 100 not out off 122 balls, Hindustan Times reported.

First innings

Earlier, New Zealand A invited India A to bat after winning the toss, Hindustan Times reported. Although Padikkal contributed 80 and Sudharshan scored 41, India A slipped to 160 for 7 at one stage, Hindustan Times reported.

Captain Dhruv Jurel then helped India recover from the collapse, scoring 105 off 171 balls, Hindustan Times reported. Akash Deep provided valuable support with 68 as India A posted a respectable 346 in their first innings, Hindustan Times reported.

Fraser Sheat emerged as New Zealand A’s best bowler, claiming 4 for 63, Hindustan Times reported.

New Zealand A’s reply

The hosts made a disastrous start in their reply, losing three wickets for 13 runs, Hindustan Times reported. But Dean Foxcroft and Matthew Boyle scripted a turnaround, adding 208 runs for the fourth wicket, Hindustan Times reported.

Boyle scored 110 off 152 balls, while Foxcroft made a resilient 93 off 226 balls, Hindustan Times reported. New Zealand A eventually posted 424, securing a 78-run first-innings lead, Hindustan Times reported.

Mukesh Kumar picked up 5 for 87 runs, and Mohammed Siraj returned 4 for 118, Hindustan Times reported.

Jaiswal’s form

Jaiswal’s innings is particularly significant as the left-hander found runs after low returns earlier in the series, Hindustan Times said.

He scored 17 and five in the two innings of the first unofficial Test before registering a duck in the first innings in Christchurch, Hindustan Times reported. His century was his 18th First-Class hundred, an important one to break his streak of ordinary scores, Sportstar reported.

Before the Tea break, the Indian opener crossed the 150-run mark, Sportstar reported.

Final day conditions

The start of play on the final day was delayed for over one-and-a-half hours following a wet outfield after light showers in the morning, prompting the sides to take an early lunch, Sportstar reported.

New Zealand A was on the ascendancy immediately after the contest began, picking up two early wickets with India A still trailing its first-innings total, Sportstar reported.

With the 11-over new ball moving in the air, Jaiswal and Rathod had to tread the waters carefully, Sportstar reported. Once the ball lost its shine, the batters looked to be more aggressive in their shot making, Sportstar reported.

It did not help skipper Rhys Mariu’s case that two of his bowlers — Fraser Sheat and Jayden Lennox — were not available to bowl after picking up injuries, Sportstar reported.

The captain had to turn to the part-time spin of Dean Foxcroft and Matt Boyle to be able to rotate his pacers at the other end, Sportstar reported.

The Indian pair found boundaries at regular intervals and then took on the short-ball ploy employed by the host to further up the scoring rate, Sportstar reported.

What happens next

His junior partner reached three figures immediately after the recess, and the Indian thinktank decided to give its bowlers the day off rather than to try and force a result in the remaining two hours of play, Sportstar reported. Jaiswal and Rathod’s centuries ensured India A finished the game on a strong note, Hindustan Times reported. The third and final unofficial Test begins Saturday, Hindustan Times reported.

Yashasvi Jaiswal

Yashasvi Bhupendra Kumar Jaiswal is an Indian international cricketer who plays for the Indian national cricket team in all formats of this game, Wikipedia reported.

He made his international debut in the first Test against the West Indies in July 2023, scoring a century in his first innings in Test cricket, Wikipedia reported. He plays for Mumbai in domestic cricket and Rajasthan Royals in the Indian Premier League, Wikipedia reported.

He was featured in Time 100 Next list of Time Magazine in 2025, Wikipedia reported.

Second innings scorecard summary

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Sources

• Hindustan Times

• Sportstar

• Wikipedia: Yashasvi Jaiswal (background)

• Photo: Rjraeesboy12, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)