Dhruv Jurel Unbeaten On 99 As India A Fight Back Against New Zealand A In 2nd Unofficial Test

Skipper Dhruv Jurel made a solid unbeaten 99 after Devdutt Padikkal's breezy 80 as India A recovered well to post 291/7 against New Zealand A on the opening day of the four-day match on Saturday. Jurel (99 not out off 155 balls) and Akash Deep (25 not out) were at the crease at stumps. The eighth-wicket pair has so far added 69 runs in 18.4 overs to keep the visitors in a strong position.At lunch, India were comfortably placed at 87/1 despite the early dismissal of Yashasvi Jaiswal, who was trapped leg-before by pacer Fraser Sheat off the fourth ball of the innings.

However, India lost Sai Sudharsan (41) in the first over after lunch when the left-hander edged an away-going delivery from pacer Jarrod McKay to wicketkeeper Mitchell Hay.

Padikkal, though, remained unfazed and brought up a well-compiled half-century off 101 balls with a boundary through point off McKay.

India were 131/2 at that stage, but the hosts struck back by claiming three wickets for just seven runs.

The first to depart was Yash Rathod (13), who edged a fine outswinger from Brett Randell behind to Hay. Padikkal followed soon after when his attempted cut off Sheat deflected onto the stumps.

In the very next over, R Smaran shouldered arms to a delivery that nipped back in and was adjudged leg-before after Sheat's loud appeal.

Washington Sundar also failed to make a significant contribution, falling leg-before to Sheat, who emerged as the most successful New Zealand A bowler of the day.

Jurel then found an able partner in Manav Suthar (22), with the pair adding 62 runs for the seventh wicket to steady the innings.

Suthar was dismissed midway through the final session, leaving Jurel as the only recognised batter at the crease.

The India A captain reached his half-century in 93 balls before taking on McKay with a sequence of 4, 6, 4 to inject momentum into the innings.

Jurel played several crisp drives and pull shots against McKay and Randell before receiving excellent support from Akash Deep late in the day.

The pair negotiated the final phase of play without any further setbacks, putting India A in a strong position heading into Day 2.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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