Devdutt Padikkal and B Sai Sudharsan mounted a composed rearguard on Day 2 of the opening unofficial Test in Lincoln on 25 October 2026, but India A still trailed New Zealand A by 98 runs at stumps, after KL Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal delivered another alarming failure with India's senior Test assignments just weeks away.

Scorecard Snapshot at Stumps

India A, dismissed for a meagre 113 in their first innings, conceded 317 to New Zealand A — a first-innings deficit of 204 runs. In their second innings, the visitors recovered to 106 for two in 36 overs, with Padikkal unbeaten on 56 and Sudharsan on 39, the pair sharing an unbroken 96-run third-wicket partnership that at least gave India A a foothold going into Day 3.

Rahul and Jaiswal Endure Another Horror Outing

The two senior batters expected to anchor India A's reply once again disappointed. Rahul fell for four, undone by a delivery that deflected off his inside edge onto the stumps. Jaiswal managed only five before departing, leaving India A staring at 10 for two early in the chase. The pair had also struggled in the first innings — Jaiswal scoring 17 and Rahul failing to open his account — raising pointed questions about their readiness ahead of India's Test series, scheduled to begin in the third week of November. This is now back-to-back failures across both innings for both players in this match alone.

Padikkal and Sudharsan Offer Much-Needed Resistance

Padikkal, a left-hander, survived an early scare when he was dropped at second slip off Kristian Clarke, but capitalised on the reprieve to bring up an unbeaten half-century. Sudharsan, facing 104 deliveries, showed the kind of patience and composure that has been conspicuously absent from the top order. Their 96-run stand has kept India A in the contest, though the side still needs a substantial contribution on Day 3 to erase the deficit entirely.

New Zealand A Build a Commanding Lead

Resuming at 135 for three, New Zealand A extended their total through contributions from the middle and lower order. Dean Foxcroft contributed 51 before being dismissed by Washington Sundar, while Kristian Clarke's aggressive 42 helped the hosts push past 300. Clarke added valuable runs alongside Zak Gibson before Akash Deep bowled him to end the innings. Notably, India A conceded 46 extras in the New Zealand A first innings — a costly lapse in discipline that further widened the gap. Anshul Kamboj and Auqib Nabi finished with three wickets apiece as the pick of the India A bowlers.

What India A Need on Day 3

With 98 runs still required to make New Zealand A bat again, Padikkal and Sudharsan will need to extend their partnership deep into Day 3. Only if the deficit is erased — and a competitive total set — will India A's bowlers have a realistic opportunity to influence the result. The form of Rahul and Jaiswal will remain under the spotlight, with selectors and coaching staff watching closely ahead of the November Test assignments.