Devdutt Padikkal struck a effective century, his seventh first-class ton, as India A gave a powerful reply to Australia A’s large first-innings complete in the drawn ‘unofficial’ Test in Lucknow on Friday (September 19, 2025).
Padikkal, who was unbeaten on 86, continued from the place he had left off on Thursday (September 18, 2025) by hitting 150 off 281 balls because the hosts declared their innings at 531 for 7, only one run shy of Australia A’s 532 for six declared in the four-day sport.
Australia A, batting in the second essay, made 56 with out loss in 16 overs because the match petered to a tame draw.
First-innings centurion Sam Konstas and Campbell Kellaway remained unbeaten on 27 and 24 respectively.
Padikkal, who could be eyeing an India call-up, particularly in red-ball video games against West Indies and South Africa with an excellent efficiency in the continuing two-match ‘unofficial’ Test collection, did himself an enormous favour by scoring a century that was studded with 14 boundaries and a six.
The different in a single day batter, Dhruv Jurel, who resumed the ultimate day on 113, performed authoritatively, including 27 extra runs earlier than being dismissed by younger right-arm pacer Fergus O’Neill for 140 off 197 balls. His innings was laced with 13 fours and 5 sixes.
The fifth-wicket pair guided India A out of bother with a 228-run partnership after the hosts had been decreased to 222/4 following the dismissal of skipper Shreyas Iyer on Thursday (September 18, 2025).
By the time Jurel departed, India A had been positioned comfortably at 450/5 and when Padikkal walked again to the dressing room, falling to the off-spin of Corey Rocchiccioli with the staff complete at 520/7, the one logical conclusion was a draw.
Harsh Dubey and Prasidh Krishna remained unbeaten on 16 and 0 when Iyer determined to declare the innings after the primary ball of the 142nd over of the India A innings.
For the report, Rocchiccioli was essentially the most profitable bowler for Australia A, returning figures of three/159. The second ‘unofficial’ Test will start on Tuesday (September 23, 2025).
Brief scores
Australia A 532 for six declared; 56 for no loss in 16 overs drew with India A 531 for 7 declared in 141.1 overs (Abhimanyu Easwaran 44, Narayan Jagadeesan 64, Sai Sudharsan 73, Devdutt Padikkal 150, Dhruv Jurel 140; Corey Rocchiccioli 3/159).
