Jaiswal 102 and Sai Sudharsan 77* give India A the edge before rain intervenes

Yashasvi Jaiswal's 138-ball 102 was the highlight on what was an otherwise attritional day of cricket in the third four-day match in Lincoln as he continued to build his form ahead of India's Test series in New Zealand. Jaiswal took the attack to the New Zealand A bowlers after India A lost the toss and were asked to bat on a greentop, and brought up his second century in as many innings.

He dominated a 175-run opening stand with B Sai Sudharsan, who finished the day unbeaten on 77, having secured his second half-century of the series. India A went to stumps at 227 for 2, with Devdutt Padikkal also falling before rain cut short the day's play.

Having failed to reach 50 in the Tests against Sri Lanka, bagged a duck in his solitary Ranji Trophy innings, and gotten out for scores of 17, 5 and 0 in his first three essays against New Zealand A, Jaiswal - and the India team management - will feel more relaxed after the 155 not out in the last game and his dominant knock on Saturday, where he also effortlessly switched gears.

Jaiswal and Sai Sudharsan had to start watchfully against New Zealand's new-ball bowlers. Brett Randell, in particular, was threatening as he consistently bowled in the channel outside off to beat the two left-hand batters on the outside edge by getting the ball to straighten off the surface.

Zak Gibson, on the other hand, targeted Sai Sudharsan with inswingers with a leg slip in place.

Jaiswal also targeted McKay, pulling him for six in his next over before hitting him for three fours in four balls. He first drove him down the ground and when McKay pulled the length back, Jaiswal steered him past the slip cordon. One ball later, with McKay going over the wicket, Jaiswal slashed a back-of-length delivery behind point.

Even with his recent trend of getting out to the cut, Jaiswal went after anything bowled short and across him as he helped India get to 83 at lunch.

The second session started in thrilling fashion. Bowling the second over after lunch, Randell beat Jaiswal on the outside edge a few times before Jaiswal square drove him for four to bring up his half-century.

In Randell's next over, Jaiswal was beaten on his outside edge again and then skipped down the track and missed a drive.

He continued to attack, however, trying an expansive drive off the first ball of the next over against McKay, who began the session with two maidens, only to get a thick edge that was dropped by Matthew Boyle at first slip. That didn't dissuade Jaiswal, as he launched McKay for a hat-trick of fours. He flicked a full one over midwicket before slashing a short ball over point. McKay went full again, only to be driven crisply through mid-off. Jaiswal attempted another cut the next ball and missed, and his straight drive off the final ball of an eventful over was stopped by the bowler.

Sai Sudharsan, who was happy to be watchful and turn the strike over while taking on anything overpitched, got to his half-century off 129 deliveries, and slapped Dean Foxcroft wide of mid-off the next ball he faced.

Another cut through point took Jaiswal into the 90s. Then a late cut off Foxcroft went just wide of the slip fielder for another boundary before Jaiswal swept the next ball for back-to-back fours to bring up a 127-ball century.

Just after his century, though, Jaiswal needed treatment for cramps, and soon after, chipped Danru Ferns - who was drafted into the New Zealand A XI only minutes before toss because Adi Ashok dislocated his finger - to mid-off to fall for 102.

The post-tea session began with Sai Sudharsan and Padikkal playing watchfully, with the ball still nipping around. Padikkal, who struggled to find fluency, eventually nicked behind off Gibson when he angled one across him from over the wicket to fall for 15 off 53.

Sai Sudharsan, who has now faced 205 balls, and Dhruv Jurel continued to tick things along before rain arrived with around an hour of play left.