India-A's incredible comeback in the first unofficial Test against New Zealand A ended without a winner on Tuesday, October 27, after bad light brought the contest to a premature close in Lincoln. New Zealand A were left with one wicket in hand after Akash Deep struck in the final session, but their last-wicket pair held firm for nearly 10 overs before the fading light stopped play.

The first threat of bad light had come earlier in the final session, when India were closing in on victory. With the umpires warning that the batters would have to leave the field if India continued with pace bowling, captain Dhruv Jurel turned to fast bowler Mukesh Choudhary to bowl spin, helping keep the match alive.

The contest for the final two wickets became a battle against the light and New Zealand's resistance. India had recovered from being bowled out for 113 in their first innings to set the hosts a target of 313, only to see their hopes of completing a remarkable turnaround fade as the final wicket partnership held firm.

PADIKKAL, SUDHARSAN LEAD INDIA-A'S RECOVERY

India-A had spent much of the first two days struggling to find their feet. They were bowled out for just 113 in their first innings on a greenish surface that offered plenty of assistance to the fast bowlers. New Zealand A capitalised, scoring 317 to take a commanding 204-run lead.

India's second innings began just as badly. KL Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal fell within the first five overs, leaving the visitors staring at another collapse. An opening defeat after such a poor start would have been an ominous sign for India-A at the start of their tour.

The pair added 215 runs, taking control of an innings that had threatened to unravel. Sudharsan, returning to the Indian red-ball setup after an injury, anchored the recovery with a composed 91. Padikkal, who had already been in splendid form, went a step further, scoring 199 before falling to a contentious umpiring decision.

With New Zealand's first-innings advantage wiped out, the rest of India's batting order began to contribute. Yash Rathod and Washington Sundar struck important half-centuries, while late cameos from Auqib Nabi and Akash Deep pushed India-A to 516 in their second innings.

The target was 313, and India needed their bowlers to deliver after New Zealand had dominated the first innings.

IND-A BOWLERS PUT NZ-A UNDER PRESSURE

Auqib Nabi led the charge with his ability to attack the stumps and keep the batters pinned down. Akash Deep was equally effective, finding lengths that made scoring difficult and keeping the pressure on New Zealand's lower order.

Nabi's third wicket of the innings was particularly impressive. Bowling from around the wicket to left-hander Matthew Boyle, he beat the batter's defence and rattled the stumps.

By Tea on Day 4, India-A were within reach of a remarkable win, provided the weather and light held up. Mukesh Choudhary and Anshul Kamboj struck at regular intervals, while Padikkal chipped in with two catches at slip off New Zealand's lower order, both taken by KL Rahul.

Kamboj's bowling was another positive for India-A. He bowled from around the wicket to the right-handers and repeatedly beat the outside edge, keeping the batters under pressure. His angles drew attention, as bowling around the wicket to a right-hander is not a commonly used strategy in red-ball cricket.

Just as India began to close in, a 46-ball partnership between Curtis Heaphy and Simon Keene threatened to delay the finish. Bad light added another complication, forcing India to rethink how they could continue bowling without the umpires taking the players off the field.

With pace bowling no longer a viable option under the prevailing light, Jurel turned to Mukesh Choudhary to bowl spin. The decision allowed India to continue the contest and search for the remaining wickets.

CURTIS HEAPHY'S RESISTANCE

Heaphy had opened New Zealand A's innings and was still at the crease at the end, finishing unbeaten on 90 from 187 balls. His innings was central to the hosts' effort to save the match, particularly as the wickets fell around him.

New Zealand A batted for 65 overs in their chase, a total of 390 balls. Heaphy faced 187 of them, almost half the deliveries his team played. As the opener, he had to negotiate India's frontline bowlers before guiding the lower order through the closing stages, protecting his partners while keeping New Zealand's hopes of a draw alive.

His resistance became even more important after Akash Deep struck in the final session. The India pacer produced an in-swinger that proved too good for Keene, who was struggling with a hamstring injury. Beaten by the movement, Keene played down the wrong line and watched his stumps cartwheel, leaving New Zealand A with one wicket remaining.

India needed just one more breakthrough to complete the comeback. But Heaphy and Jayden Lennox resisted, batting out nearly 10 overs as India searched for the final wicket.

BAD LIGHT DENIES INDIA-A

Luck went against India once again when bad light stopped play with 17 overs left for the day. The umpires halted the contest as poor light and cold winds made conditions difficult, and the players remained off the field for more than an hour while officials assessed the situation.

When the umpires brought out the light meters, Lennox and Heaphy were still at the crease. The New Zealand batters appeared relieved, while the Indian players engaged in discussions with the umpires.

The match was eventually called off, denying India-A a victory that had seemed within reach after their remarkable recovery. Heaphy's unbeaten 90, and his ability to shield the tail as New Zealand fought to survive, proved crucial to the hosts securing the draw.

India-A will take confidence from their response after being bowled out for 113 and from the pressure their bowlers built in the fourth innings. New Zealand A, meanwhile, can draw encouragement from their first-innings dominance and the resistance that helped them escape with a draw in a match that had threatened to slip away.

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