Skipper Dhruv Jurel made a solid unbeaten 99 after Devdutt Padikkal’s breezy 80 as India-A recovered well to score a strong 291 for seven against New Zealand-A on the opening day of the four-day match in Christchurch on Saturday (October 31, 2026).

Jurel (99 batting, 155b) and Akash Deep (25 batting) were at the crease at close. The eighth-wicket pair has so far added 69 in 18.4 overs.

At lunch, India-A was comfortably placed at 87 for one despite the early dismissal of Yashasvi Jaiswal, who trapped leg-before by pacer Fraser Sheat in the first over.

But India lost Sai Sudharsan (41) in the first over after lunch.

But Padikkal continued unfazed, bringing up a sturdy fifty in 101 balls with a boundary through the point off McKay.

India-A 131 for two at this stage, but the Kiwis rattled them with three wickets in the span of seven runs. But Jurel found a willing ally in Manav Suthar (22) as the seventh wicket duo milked 62 runs.

The scores: India-A 291/7 in 88 overs (Jurel 99 batting, Padikkal 80, Sheat 4/80) vs. New Zealand-A. Toss: NZ-A.