By Admin 
Devdutt Padikkal struck a fine century, his seventh first-class ton, as India A gave a strong reply to Australia A’s massive first-innings total in the drawn ‘unofficial’ Test in Lucknow on Friday (September 19, 2025).
Padikkal, who was unbeaten on 86, continued from where he had left off on Thursday (September 18, 2025) by hitting 150 off 281 balls as the hosts declared their innings at 531 for 7, just one run shy of Australia A’s 532 for 6 declared in the four-day game.
Australia A, batting in the second essay, made 56 without loss in 16 overs as the match petered to a tame draw.
First-innings centurion Sam Konstas and Campbell Kellaway remained unbeaten on 27 and 24 respectively.
Padikkal, who would be eyeing an India call-up, especially in red-ball games against West Indies and South Africa with a good performance in the ongoing two-match ‘unofficial’ Test series, did himself a huge favour by scoring a century that was studded with 14 boundaries and a six.
The other overnight batter, Dhruv Jurel, who resumed the final day on 113, played authoritatively, adding 27 more runs before being dismissed by young right-arm pacer Fergus O’Neill for 140 off 197 balls. His innings was laced with 13 fours and five sixes.
The fifth-wicket pair guided India A out of trouble with a 228-run partnership after the hosts were reduced to 222/4 following the dismissal of skipper Shreyas Iyer on Thursday (September 18, 2025).
By the time Jurel departed, India A were placed comfortably at 450/5 and when Padikkal walked back to the dressing room, falling to the off-spin of Corey Rocchiccioli with the team total at 520/7, the only logical conclusion was a draw.
Harsh Dubey and Prasidh Krishna remained unbeaten on 16 and 0 when Iyer decided to declare the innings after the first ball of the 142nd over of the India A innings.
For the record, Rocchiccioli was the most successful bowler for Australia A, returning figures of 3/159. The second ‘unofficial’ Test will begin on Tuesday (September 23, 2025).
Brief scores
Australia A 532 for 6 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).