KL Rahul and B Sai Sudharsan were dismissed for ducks as India A struggled against New Zealand A in the first unofficial Test
India A were bowled out for 113 in 39.3 overs, with Simon Keene taking five wickets and Zak Gibson claiming three
Yash Rathod top-scored with an unbeaten 44, but New Zealand A's pace attack dominated on a grass-covered pitch
India A endured a difficult start to their first unofficial Test against New Zealand A, with KL Rahul and B Sai Sudharsan both dismissed for ducks before the visitors were bowled out for 113 on Saturday in Lincoln.
Rahul, part of India's current Test set-up as vice-captain, lasted just eight deliveries at the top of the order. Fraser Sheat provided the breakthrough in the third over, with wicketkeeper Mitchell Hay completing the catch to leave India A on the back foot early in their innings.
The problems continued for the visitors as Sai Sudharsan failed to make an impact at No. 4.
The left-hander from Tamil Nadu, who had missed the Test series in Sri Lanka because of an injury, was bowled by Simon Keene for 0 off 13 balls. Keene struck again soon after, removing India A skipper Dhruv Jurel for one, with Rhys Mariu taking the catch.
Yashasvi Jaiswal was another early casualty, departing for 17 off 45 balls after Zak Gibson had him caught by Matthew Boyle. Jaiswal had briefly partnered Devdutt Padikkal, but their stand could not provide the stability India A needed.
Padikkal was the main source of resistance in the first half of the innings. The Karnataka left-hander scored 32 from 77 balls, hitting five boundaries, before Gibson ended his stay with another catch for Hay. India A went into lunch at 55/4, with the top order already back in the pavilion.
The collapse gathered pace after the interval, as New Zealand A's seamers continued to take advantage of the grassy pitch. Keene finished with five wickets, while Gibson claimed three, leaving the visitors with little room to rebuild.
Yash Rathod kept the innings from ending even sooner. Batting aggressively amid the procession of wickets, he struck an unbeaten 44 from 49 balls, including three fours and three sixes.
His late effort, supported by a final-wicket stand with Mukesh Choudhary, took India A beyond the 100-run mark.
Washington Sundar, another India Test squad member in the India A line-up, was dismissed for a duck, while Anshul Kamboj contributed 10 before falling to Kristian Clarke. The lower order could not provide enough support to Rathod as India A were dismissed for 113 in 39.3 overs.
New Zealand A had made the most of the decision to bowl first, with their pace attack repeatedly finding movement and exposing the fragility of the visitors' batting.
India A's bowlers will now have to respond on the same surface if they are to prevent the hosts from building a substantial first-innings lead.
India A Vs New Zealand A, 1st Unofficial Test: Playing XIs
New Zealand A (Playing XI): Rhys Mariu(c), Curtis Heaphy, Tim Robinson, Matthew Boyle, Dean Foxcroft, Mitchell Hay(w), Simon Keene, Kristian Clarke, Fraser Sheat, Jayden Lennox, Zak Gibson
India A (Playing XI): Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Devdutt Padikkal, Sai Sudharsan, Dhruv Jurel(w/c), Yash Rathod, Washington Sundar, Anshul Kamboj, Auqib Nabi, Akash Deep, Mukesh Choudhary
