India A were bowled out for 113 in their unofficial Test against New Zealand A as Simon Keene claimed five wickets on a green pitch. The collapse raises questions about India's batting as their all-format tour of New Zealand continues.KL Rahul was dismissed for a duck in the Unofficial Test against New Zealand A.

Lincoln,Oct 24, 2026 08:54 ISTIndia A suffered a batting meltdown in their unofficial Test against New Zealand A, getting bowled out for just 113 in 39.3 overs as Simon Keene claimed five wickets on a grass-covered pitch. The collapse comes during India's ongoing all-format tour of New Zealand, which features five T20Is, five ODIs and two Tests.With the tour underway, the unofficial Test offers India's Test hopefuls an opportunity to acclimatise to New Zealand conditions ahead of the two-match Test series.

However, India A's struggles against the seamers have provided an early reminder of the challenges that await when the ball moves.PACE TROUBLENew Zealand A elected to bowl first and immediately made the most of the conditions. Fraser Sheat struck early, dismissing KL Rahul for a duck after the opener faced just eight deliveries.

Yashasvi Jaiswal and Devdutt Padikkal attempted to rebuild the innings, but their partnership was short-lived as Zak Gibson removed Jaiswal for 17 off 45 balls.Padikkal provided some resistance with 32 off 77 deliveries, but Gibson returned to dismiss him as the innings began to unravel. Sai Sudharsan fell for a duck to Keene, who then accounted for Dhruv Jurel for just one.

Washington Sundar also departed without scoring, leaving India A struggling to arrest the slide. Keene was the standout performer, finishing with figures of 5/24 in 11.3 overs.

He extracted movement from the surface and repeatedly troubled the batters, while Gibson claimed three wickets. Sheat picked up one as New Zealand A's pace attack kept India A under pressure throughout the innings.Amid the collapse, Yash Rathod stood out with an unbeaten 44 off 49 balls, striking three fours and three sixes.

He took the attacking route as wickets tumbled at the other end, with Anshul Kamboj contributing 10. Rathod's counter-attacking knock helped India A cross the 100-run mark before the innings ended at 113.

The grass on the surface clearly favoured the bowlers, and New Zealand A exploited it superbly. However, the ease with which India A lost wickets and the lack of substantial partnerships will concern the team management.The unofficial Test series is an important opportunity for India's Test hopefuls to adapt to local conditions before the senior side takes on New Zealand in the longest format.

While one innings on a bowler-friendly pitch cannot establish a wider pattern, India A will need a stronger response to demonstrate that they can withstand sustained pressure from quality seamers.- Ends