India A were bowled out for 113 against New Zealand A in the first unofficial Test, triggering reactions from fans
KL Rahul, B Sai Sudharsan, Washington Sundar and Akash Deep fell for ducks, while Yash Rathod top-scored with 44 not out
New Zealand A reached 90/0 in reply, with captain Rhys Mariu unbeaten on 56, trailing by just 23 runs
India A's batting collapse against New Zealand A in the first unofficial Test in Lincoln on Saturday, October 24, left fans stunned, with several members of India's Test squad failing to deliver in the opening innings.
India A were bowled out for just 113 at the Bert Sutcliffe Oval after New Zealand A captain Rhys Mariu elected to bowl first. The visitors struggled against the pace attack, with KL Rahul, B Sai Sudharsan, Washington Sundar and Akash Deep among those dismissed without scoring.
Captain Dhruv Jurel managed just one run, while Yashasvi Jaiswal departed for 17. Devdutt Padikkal offered some resistance with 32 off 77 balls, but wickets continued to tumble at the other end.
Yash Rathod was the standout performer for India A, scoring an unbeaten 44 off 49 deliveries, including three fours and three sixes. However, his counterattack could not prevent the visitors from being bundled out in 39.3 overs.
Simon Keene led New Zealand A's charge with five wickets for 24 runs, while Zak Gibson picked up three scalps. Fraser Sheat and Kristian Clarke claimed one wicket each as the hosts made the most of the assistance on offer from the surface.
The disappointing display soon became a talking point on social media, with fans questioning the performances of India's established batters and reacting to the number of ducks in the scorecard.
Some fans took aim at KL Rahul and B Sai Sudharsan, both of whom were dismissed for ducks. While one reaction highlighted Rahul's score of 0 against New Zealand A, others questioned why the senior batter continued to face scrutiny after playing more than 70 Test matches for India.
The reactions were not limited to Rahul, with the overall batting performance drawing criticism. Some fans also suggested that the collapse was only a trailer for what could follow.
Here are some of the reactions from fans on X to India A's batting collapse against New Zealand A.
At the time of filing this story, New Zealand A had reached 90/0 in 25.3 overs in reply to India A's 113, trailing by just 23 runs on Day 1. Captain Rhys Mariu was unbeaten on 56 off 89 balls, including nine fours, as the hosts' openers put India A's bowlers under pressure in the third session.
