Mohammed Siraj Returns As India A Seek Victory Against New Zealand A

Devdutt Padikkal's red-hot form and the arrival of experienced pacer Mohammed Siraj will be in focus as India A look to tame New Zealand A in the second unofficial four-day Test beginning on Saturday. With India's two-Test series against New Zealand starting on November 19, the unofficial four-day matches provide senior players an ideal opportunity to fine-tune their preparations. Padikkal has been India's standout performer so far, producing a remarkable comeback in the opening game. After India A were bowled out for just 113 in 39.3 overs in their first innings, the stylish left-hander struck a magnificent 199 to help the visitors post 516 in their second innings and set New Zealand A a target of 313. He also chipped in with two wickets to expose the opposition's lower order.

Yash Rathod was another notable contributor, scoring 44 and 66, but India's top-order concerns remain.

Opener Yashasvi Jaiswal endured a disappointing outing with scores of 17 and five, while KL Rahul managed just zero and four. Rahul has since joined the ODI squad and will miss the second match.

His replacement, 21-year-old Jharkhand left-hander Shikhar Mohan, will have an opportunity to impress after a strong Ranji Trophy 2025-26 season in which he scored 613 runs, including a double century.

Sai Sudharsan bounced back from a first-innings duck to score 91 in the second innings, while captain Dhruv Jurel struggled with scores of one and two. All-rounder Washington Sundar, however, offered some resistance with a half-century in the second innings.

India A will expect greater consistency from their batting line-up, particularly against a New Zealand A attack that exposed their vulnerabilities in the first innings.

Among the bowlers, Auqib Nabi has led the attack with six wickets, three in each innings. Nabi and Anshul Kamboj claimed three wickets apiece in the first innings, while Akash Deep, who is part of India's Test squad, also picked up three wickets.

India A came close to victory in the opening match, but bad light and a determined New Zealand A batting effort denied them the final breakthrough.

Siraj's inclusion will further strengthen the pace attack as he looks to build rhythm and increase his red-ball workload ahead of India's upcoming World Test Championship series, where he is expected to partner Jasprit Bumrah.

Bumrah and wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant are likely to feature in the third unofficial Test in Lincoln, which will also mark the return of Nitish Kumar Reddy. That makes the second match a crucial opportunity for players looking to impress before the senior stars return.

New Zealand A, meanwhile, will take confidence from their performance in the opening game after dominating large parts of the first two days before allowing India A back into the contest.

Captain Rhys Mariu top-scored with 76 in the first innings, while Curtis Heaphy impressed with scores of 44 and 90. Dean Foxcroft also contributed 51 and 42.

Simon Keene emerged as New Zealand A's most successful bowler with six wickets, including a five-wicket haul in the first innings.

Squads (From)

India A: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sai Sudharsan, Devdutt Padikkal, Yash Rathod, R. Smaran, Dhruv Jurel (captain, wicketkeeper), Washington Sundar, Mohammed Siraj, Akash Deep, Shikhar Mohan, Mukesh Choudhary, Mukesh Kumar, Manav Suthar, Kumar Kushagra (wicketkeeper).

New Zealand A: Rhys Mariu (captain), Matt Boyle, Max Chu, Kristian Clarke, Dean Foxcroft, Zak Gibson, Mitch Hay (wicketkeeper), Curtis Heaphy, Simon Keene, Jayden Lennox, Jarrod McKay, Tim Robinson, Fraser Sheat.

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

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