India A vs New Zealand A: Mukesh Kumar Takes Five Wickets

India A faced a frustrating day in the second unofficial Test against New Zealand A as the visitors’ lower order resisted for more than two sessions on Day 3. Despite impressive bowling performances from Mukesh Kumar and Mohammed Siraj, India A had to wait until the 133rd over to complete the innings, with the final-wicket partnership adding valuable runs for New Zealand A.

New Zealand A, resuming at 218/3, were eventually bowled out for 424 in 132.5 overs. Matthew Boyle’s century and Dean Foxcroft’s 93 laid the foundation, while the lower order ensured that the visitors finished with a 78-run first-innings lead. Mukesh claimed five wickets and Siraj picked up four, but Akash Deep and Manav Suthar remained wicketless.

Washington Sundar took the remaining wicket, dismissing Jarrod McKay after the batter and Jayden Lennox had frustrated the Indian bowlers with a 55-run partnership for the 10th wicket. India A then began their second innings and reached 32 without loss by the close of play, reducing the deficit to 46 runs.

Yashasvi Jaiswal and Sai Sudharsan survived the new ball and gave India A a steady start. With one day remaining, the match appears to be heading towards a draw unless there is a dramatic change in the final innings.

Mohammed Siraj Strikes Three Times in the First Session

India A began Day 3 hoping to make quick progress after New Zealand A had reached 218/3 overnight. Siraj provided an immediate breakthrough with the very first ball of the day, dismissing centurion Matthew Boyle.

Boyle had scored 110 runs from 152 deliveries, including 14 fours and a six. Devdutt Padikkal took an excellent catch to end the batter’s innings and break the partnership. His dismissal gave India A an important opening, although New Zealand A continued to resist.

No further wickets fell before the second new ball was taken. Siraj then made an impact again, trapping Dean Foxcroft leg before wicket in his first over with the new ball. Foxcroft missed out on a century after scoring 93 from 226 balls, hitting nine boundaries during his long stay at the crease.

Mukesh Kumar followed up by dismissing wicketkeeper Mitchell Hay, who contributed 31 runs from 73 deliveries, including three fours and a six. Siraj then struck again just before lunch, bowling Brett Randell with a delivery that hit the top of off stump after the batter shouldered arms.

New Zealand A had lost four wickets during the morning session, but their score had continued to grow. The visitors reached the interval having lost seven wickets for 287 runs, leaving India A with more work to do after lunch.

Akash Deep Creates an Opportunity but India A Drop a Catch

India A entered the second session hoping to remove the remaining New Zealand A batters quickly and secure a first-innings lead of around 50 runs. However, the lower order showed considerable determination and made the Indian bowlers work hard for every wicket.

Akash Deep struggled to maintain consistent line and length, with a few overstepping incidents also affecting his bowling. Nevertheless, he managed to create an opportunity in the 96th over when Fraser Sheat offered a catch at first slip.

Smaran Ravichandran, however, failed to hold on to a straightforward chance. Sheat was batting on 10 at the time, giving New Zealand A another opportunity to extend their innings. The dropped catch proved costly as Sheat and Kristian Clarke continued their resistance through the first hour of the session.

The missed opportunity added to India’s frustration. With the main batting contributions already completed, the hosts needed to finish off the tail quickly. Instead, the lower order continued to occupy the crease and delayed India’s chance to begin their second innings.

Mukesh Kumar Takes Five Wickets as New Zealand A Lower Order Resists

Mukesh Kumar returned to the attack shortly after the drinks break and finally gave India A the breakthrough they needed. Ravichandran made amends for his earlier dropped catch by completing the dismissal of Kristian Clarke, who was out for 41 from 68 balls.

Clarke struck six fours during his innings and played an important role in extending New Zealand A’s total. His dismissal brought another wicket, but Fraser Sheat continued to frustrate the Indian bowlers.

After the scores were level, Sheat attacked Siraj in the 107th over, hitting two fours and a six. The maximum was large enough for the ball to be lost, forcing the umpires to bring a replacement into play. The replacement ball did not satisfy the Indian side, and captain Dhruv Jurel arranged for it to be changed again a few deliveries later.

Mukesh made the most of the fresh ball and dismissed Sheat soon afterwards. The batter was tempted into playing a drive, and Padikkal took a regulation catch at second slip. Sheat departed after scoring 40 runs from 51 deliveries, an innings that helped New Zealand A extend their total and frustrate the visitors.

The wicket completed Mukesh’s five-wicket haul, his 12th fifer in first-class cricket. It was a significant performance from the fast bowler, particularly after he had missed out on selection for the Test squad. His spell demonstrated his ability to deliver an important contribution in the four-day format.

With Sheat gone, New Zealand A were nine wickets down, but India A still had one more batter to dismiss. Their innings could have ended much earlier had Siraj held on to a straightforward catch at mid-off, but the opportunity went begging. Washington Sundar was unable to create another breakthrough for some time, allowing the final pair to continue batting.

Jarrod McKay and Jayden Lennox Frustrate India A With 55-Run Stand

New Zealand A resumed their resistance with Jarrod McKay and Jayden Lennox at the crease. The pair remained unbeaten at the end of the second session, with the visitors reaching 391/9. Their partnership became the biggest source of frustration for India A as the final wicket proved difficult to take.

McKay and Lennox continued their partnership into the final session, moving into their 30s and forcing the Indian bowlers to spend more time in the field. The hosts had already taken nine wickets, but the final pair showed patience and refused to give their opponents an easy finish.

India A eventually found the breakthrough in the 133rd over when Sundar bowled McKay. The delivery drifted away from the batter and beat him, ending his innings at 33 from 75 balls. It was the highest score of McKay’s first-class career.

Lennox remained unbeaten on 32 from 97 deliveries as New Zealand A were dismissed for 424 in 132.5 overs. The two batters had added 55 runs for the 10th wicket from 149 deliveries, keeping India A on the field for a substantial period.

The partnership had an important impact on the match situation. New Zealand A moved from 291/7 to 424, securing a 78-run first-innings lead. What could have been a much shorter innings turned into a lengthy lower-order effort that left India A with limited time to build a substantial advantage.

Akash Deep and Manav Suthar Remain Wicketless

Although Mukesh and Siraj delivered strong performances, the contributions from the other Indian bowlers were less encouraging. Akash Deep and Manav Suthar finished the innings without taking a wicket, while Sundar claimed the dismissal of McKay.

Deep’s performance has been a concern during the unofficial Test series. He has not looked at his best and has been outperformed by Auqib Nabi and Mukesh Kumar. His inconsistent lengths and the dropped catch against Sheat added to a difficult day for the fast bowler.

Sundar also struggled to make a major impact with the older ball, although he eventually removed McKay to end the innings. His wicket came after the final pair had spent considerable time at the crease.

The decision not to include Suthar in the bowling attack has also attracted criticism. However, conditions in New Zealand may not necessarily suit his style of bowling, which could have influenced the approach taken by the team management.

For India A, the main positives were Mukesh’s five-wicket haul and Siraj’s four-wicket contribution. However, the lengthy final-wicket stand showed that the bowling attack still needs to find ways to close out innings more efficiently.

Yashasvi Jaiswal and Sai Sudharsan Survive the New Ball

India A began their second innings with a 78-run deficit and needed a steady start to avoid putting themselves under pressure. Openers Yashasvi Jaiswal and Sai Sudharsan approached the task carefully and managed to reach stumps without losing a wicket.

Jaiswal, who had been dismissed for a duck in the first innings, opened his account with a boundary against Fraser Sheat. Sudharsan also got off the mark with a four against the same bowler in the third over.

The new ball created a few nervous moments for the Indian openers, but neither batter lost his wicket. Their ability to negotiate the early movement was important, particularly after New Zealand A had secured a first-innings lead.

Jaiswal finished the day unbeaten on 20 from 38 deliveries, while Sudharsan had scored 11 from 28 balls. Jaiswal also struck two boundaries against Randell in the final over of the day. Randell appealed for a caught-behind dismissal during the same over, but the umpire turned down the appeal.

India A ended the day at 32/0, reducing the deficit to 46 runs. The openers had given their side a useful platform, although they will need to build on that start if India A are to establish a meaningful lead on the final day.

What Does India A Need to Do on Day 4?

With only one day remaining and India A still trailing by 46 runs, the match appears to be heading towards a draw unless the batting side suffers a major collapse or the final day produces an unexpected turn. The immediate priority for Jaiswal and Sudharsan will be to erase the deficit and build a substantial partnership.

Jaiswal’s start is particularly important because the opener needs a significant innings after a series of modest scores. He has already made his highest score of the tour with his unbeaten 20 on Day 3, and the final day provides an opportunity to convert that start into a bigger contribution.

His recent form has attracted attention. In the previous game, he registered scores of 17 and 5. He also bagged a duck against New Zealand in Mumbai’s Ranji Trophy 2026-27 opener. During the Sri Lanka tour, he managed two starts but failed to convert them into substantial scores and also recorded a duck. A similar pattern continued in the one-off Afghanistan Test.

India will want Jaiswal to turn his promising starts into major innings, particularly with the two-Test series against New Zealand approaching. His performances could be important as the national side looks to revive its campaign in the 2025-27 World Test Championship cycle.

In the ongoing WTC cycle, Jaiswal is the joint 10th-highest run-scorer, with 790 runs from 20 innings at an average of 39.5. His tally includes three centuries and three half-centuries. Those numbers underline his contribution, but the team will be looking for greater consistency and more substantial scores from the opener.

For Sudharsan, the immediate task will be to support Jaiswal and ensure India A do not lose early wickets. A strong opening partnership could help the hosts move into a position where they can dictate the final day’s pace and avoid giving New Zealand A an opportunity to force a result.

India A vs New Zealand A 2nd Unofficial Test: Day 3 Summary

New Zealand A’s lower order made India A work hard for the final wicket after the visitors had been reduced to 291/7. Boyle’s 110 and Foxcroft’s 93 were the major contributions, while Sheat, Clarke, Lennox and McKay helped extend the innings.

Mukesh Kumar finished with five wickets, Siraj claimed four and Sundar took the remaining wicket. Deep and Suthar went wicketless, while the dropped catches and lengthy final-wicket partnership added to India’s frustration.

New Zealand A eventually reached 424, taking a 78-run lead. India A responded with an unbeaten opening stand between Jaiswal and Sudharsan, reaching 32/0 at stumps and reducing the deficit to 46 runs.

Day 4 will be crucial for Jaiswal as he looks to turn his start into a significant innings. However, with the match already moving towards a draw, India A’s main objective will be to bat patiently, avoid a collapse and finish the game strongly.