India A series ends in draws, Bumrah and Jadeja left short of match practice

India A's batters made the most of their opportunities, with Yashasvi Jaiswal and Devdutt Padikkal among the standout performers. But rain disrupted the final two matches, leaving Jasprit Bumrah and Ravindra Jadeja short of valuable preparation.

Bumrah could not get some match practice due to the drawn match. (Reuters Photo)

India's preparations for the upcoming two-Test series against New Zealand received mixed returns as the three-match unofficial Test series between India A and New Zealand A ended without a result. While several batters made strong statements ahead of the senior team's assignment, rain disrupted the final two games and denied some of India's key players the opportunity to build match fitness.

The third and final unofficial Test in Lincoln ended in a draw on Tuesday after rain washed out the entire fourth day. The third day's play had also been abandoned without a ball being bowled, leaving the teams with little opportunity to make a contest of the match. All three games in the series ended in draws.

India A had declared their first innings at 464 for five, with Yashasvi Jaiswal leading the charge with a century. Sai Sudharsan, Tilak Varma, Dhruv Jurel and Washington Sundar also made significant contributions, while New Zealand A were 36 for two when the match was interrupted.

The series was intended to provide valuable red-ball preparation ahead of the first Test, which begins on November 19 in Wellington. Several players in the A squad are in contention for places in the senior team, while Jasprit Bumrah and Ravindra Jadeja were included in the final game to get some much-needed time in the middle after breaks from competitive cricket.

JAISWAL, PADIKKAL LEAD THE POSITIVES

Jaiswal was among India's biggest gains from the series.The opener scored 102 in the final game, taking his tally to 279 runs in five innings at an average of 69.75. It was his second century of the series, underlining his strong red-ball form ahead of the New Zealand Tests.

Devdutt Padikkal also made a compelling case in the race for India's No. 3 position. His 199 in the opening unofficial Test was the standout batting performance of the series, while Sudharsan kept the pressure on with two half-centuries, including an 88 in the final match and a fighting 91 in the first.

Jurel added another strong performance with 71 in the third game, following a century earlier in the series. With Rishabh Pant still recovering from a side strain, Jurel's form could prove important as India assess their wicketkeeping options. Tilak Varma, who is not part of the senior Test squad, also impressed with an unbeaten 81.

Akash Deep's return to action was another positive. The pacer is working his way back after a lengthy injury lay-off, while Prasidh Krishna also got an opportunity to bowl in the final match after recovering from a hamstring injury. He picked up both New Zealand A wickets to fall.

BUMRAH, JADEJA MISS OUT ON GAME TIME

The biggest disappointment from India's perspective was the lack of match practice for Bumrah and Jadeja. Both were expected to use the final unofficial Test to prepare for the two-match series, but the weather severely restricted their involvement.

Bumrah, who last played in the Asian Games final against Pakistan on October 3, managed only six overs in Lincoln, conceding 11 runs without taking a wicket. He had been rested for the white-ball leg of the New Zealand tour to keep him fresh for the Tests and would have ideally wanted a longer bowling workload before the series.

Jadeja, meanwhile, faced 71 deliveries for his 25, spending around an hour and 20 minutes at the crease. However, he did not get a chance to bowl as India A managed only 14 overs in the match. The all-rounder had joined the squad after featuring in two Ranji Trophy matches for Saurashtra.

The duo will now travel to Wellington with the rest of the Indian contingent, where the team is scheduled to have six training sessions before the opening Test, weather permitting. Bumrah, Jadeja, Jaiswal, Padikkal, Sudharsan, Washington and Akash Deep are among the players expected to join the senior squad.