India A 488/8, lead NZ A by 284 after Day 3 of 1st unofficial Test

India A closed Day 3 of the first unofficial Test against New Zealand A at 488/8 at the Bert Sutcliffe Oval, Lincoln University, a lead of 284 runs with two wickets in hand.

Washington Sundar was unbeaten on 51 at stumps, with Akash Deep on 0. Tribune India reports that Devdutt Padikkal made 199, and that Sai Sudharsan, Yash Rathod and Sundar all scored half-centuries.

How Day 3 unfolded

India A resumed on 106/2, with Padikkal on 56 and Sudharsan on 39. By stumps Padikkal had fallen one short of 200, while Sudharsan, Rathod and Sundar had all passed fifty.

The turnaround was sharp. India A had been bowled out for 113 in 39.3 overs on Day 1, with Simon Keene taking five wickets and Zak Gibson three. Rathod top-scored in that innings with an unbeaten 44, while KL Rahul, described as India’s Test vice-captain, and Sudharsan both fell for ducks.

New Zealand A’s innings

New Zealand A were all out for 317 in their first innings. Rhys Mariu made 76 off 137 balls and Curtis Heaphy 44 off 134, and the pair put on 132 for the first wicket. Dean Foxcroft added 51 off 79 balls.

What’s next

This is the 1st Four-Day Match of India A in New Zealand 2026/27 (unofficial Tests), scheduled for 24-27 October 2026, so Day 4 remains. The second unofficial Test is at Hagley Oval, Christchurch, from 31 October to 3 November, and the third is at Lincoln from 7 to 10 November. Rishabh Pant is listed as wicketkeeper for the third match only.

India A come into the tour after a home series against Australia A. They won the first Test by 162 runs and drew the second, then lost the first two ODIs by 125 runs and 69 runs before winning the third by 49 runs.