Yashasvi Jaiswal Century: 102 and Sai Sudharsan’s 77* Give India A Control Before Rain

Jaiswal's second hundred in as many innings

The Yashasvi Jaiswal century that India A needed arrived on Day 1: he scored 102 off 138 balls of the third unofficial Test against New Zealand A at Bert Sutcliffe Oval in Lincoln on 7 November 2026, giving India A a strong platform before rain cut the day short. At stumps India A were 227 for 2 after being asked to bat on a greentop, with Sai Sudharsan unbeaten on 77.

The century followed Jaiswal's 155 not out in the previous unofficial Test and will ease some of the pressure that had built around his red-ball form before this tour's later games. It also arrives as India prepare for the two-Test series against New Zealand, which starts in Wellington on 19 November. Scores from the A series are collected on our New Zealand A vs India A 2026 results page.

A 175-run opening stand on a helpful pitch

New Zealand A won the toss and sent India A in. ESPNcricinfo's Abhimanyu Bose reported that Brett Randell consistently beat both left-handers in the channel outside off, while Zak Gibson targeted Sudharsan with inswingers and a leg slip.

The first release came in the 12th over, when first-change Jarrod McKay overpitched and Sudharsan drove him through the covers. Jaiswal then took McKay apart: a pull for six, a drive down the ground, a steer past the slips and a slash behind point. India A went to lunch at 83 without loss.

After lunch Jaiswal brought up his fifty with a square drive off Randell, then survived a dropped chance at first slip by Matthew Boyle off McKay. He immediately hit McKay for three fours in an over and later cleared his front leg to swing Gibson over long-on for his second six. A late cut and a sweep off Dean Foxcroft took him to a 127-ball century.

Sudharsan reached his second half-century of the series off 129 balls, content to turn the strike over and punish anything overpitched. The opening stand was worth 175 when Jaiswal, who needed treatment for cramps just after reaching three figures, chipped Danru Ferns to mid-off and fell for 102. Ferns had been drafted into the XI only minutes before the toss after Adi Ashok dislocated a finger.

Padikkal falls, rain arrives

Devdutt Padikkal struggled for fluency and was caught behind off Gibson for 15 from 53 balls, nicking a ball angled across him from over the wicket. Sudharsan, who had faced 205 balls by the close, and captain Dhruv Jurel were still together when rain arrived with about an hour of scheduled play remaining.

ESPNcricinfo noted how welcome the innings was after a leaner stretch: Jaiswal did not reach 50 in the Tests against Sri Lanka, made a duck in his only recent Ranji Trophy innings, and scored 17, 5 and 0 in his first three innings against New Zealand A before the 155 not out in the last game and this 102.

What it means for India's Test preparation

The Lincoln match is the last of three unofficial Tests before India's senior side plays New Zealand. Rishabh Pant has already been ruled out of this fixture with a side strain, with Tilak Varma coming in as replacement, while Jasprit Bumrah and Ravindra Jadeja joined the squad for red-ball preparation.

Jaiswal's back-to-back hundreds, and Sudharsan's long, patient 77 not out off 205 balls, are the clearest batting signs yet that India A's top order is finding a method on New Zealand pitches. The remaining days in Lincoln, scheduled through 10 November, will show whether that start can be turned into a total large enough to press for a result.

Sources: ESPNcricinfo Day 1 report by Abhimanyu Bose (India A 227 for 2; Jaiswal 102 off 138, century off 127 balls; Sudharsan 77 not out off 205; opening stand 175; Ferns 1 for 16). Figures above are from that report, not estimates.