Devdutt Padikkal’s sparkling century headlined India A’s resilient performance as they fought to a draw against Australia A in the first ‘unofficial’ Test of a two-match series at Lucknow on Friday. The 25-year-old left-hander’s 150 off 281 balls, his seventh first-class ton, powered India A to a commanding 531 for 7 declared, narrowly trailing Australia A’s formidable 532 for 6 declared in the four-day contest.

Padikkal, who resumed Day 4 unbeaten on 86, showcased his red-ball prowess with 14 boundaries and a six, bolstering his case for a potential India call-up for upcoming Test series against West Indies and South Africa. He found a resolute partner in Dhruv Jurel, who added 27 runs to his overnight 113, finishing with a dynamic 140 off 197 balls, studded with 13 fours and five sixes. Their 228-run fifth-wicket partnership rescued India A from a precarious 222/4, following the dismissal of captain Shreyas Iyer on Thursday.

With Jurel’s departure at 450/5 and Padikkal falling to off-spinner Corey Rocchiccioli at 520/7, India A declared after 141.1 overs with Harsh Dubey (16*) and Prasidh Krishna (0*) unbeaten. Rocchiccioli emerged as Australia A’s standout bowler, claiming 3/159. In their second innings, Australia A reached 56 without loss in 16 overs, with Sam Konstas (27*) and Campbell Kellaway (24*) ensuring a tame draw as the match concluded.

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Contributions from Abhimanyu Easwaran (44), Narayan Jagadeesan (64), and Sai Sudharsan (73) further solidified India A’s batting effort, setting the stage for an intriguing second ‘unofficial’ Test starting Tuesday in Lucknow. The draw reflects both teams’ competitive spirit, with Padikkal’s performance signaling his readiness for higher honors.

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