After a slow start to his tour of New Zealand, Yashasvi Jaiswal has found form, hitting back to back hundreds for India A.
Yashasvi Jaiswal finds form with back-to-back tons
Jaiswal began the India A tour of New Zealand without a fifty in his previous eight first-class innings, with his last red-ball half-century coming against South Africa back in November 2025. He was dismissed for a duck in his only Ranji Trophy outing this season before departing cheaply in both innings of the first unofficial Test.
His fortunes changed from the second Test, as he slammed a quickfire 155 not out off 162 balls. He further built on that in the third game, scoring his 19th first-class ton before being dismissed for 102 off 138, hitting 16 fours and two sixes.
Jaiswal and Sai Sudharsan added 175 runs for the opening wicket before the former fell to Danru Ferns. Devdutt Padikkal, who fell just a run short of a double hundred in the first A game, followed soon, but captain Dhruv Jurel (12*) and Sudharsan (77*) held fort as India A finished the day at 227-2.
Earlier, India A had been put in to bat on a green track in Lincoln, before Jaiswal took on the bowling. Sudharsan, who has seemingly fallen behind in the No.3 race, continued to play watchfully, getting to his fifty off 129 deliveries. Jaiswal, meanwhile, brought up his hundred in 127 balls with consecutive fours off Dean Foxcroft.
Jaiswal’s return to form will ease the nerves in the Indian camp, especially with his Test opening partner KL Rahul struggling for runs in the format. After scores of four and one in his only Ranji Trophy appearance this season, he fell for 0 and four in the first Test against New Zealand A. Rahul is currently with the India ODI side but will step out after the third match, along with captain Shubman Gill, to prepare for the Test series.
The first Test between India and New Zealand is scheduled to begin on November 19 in Wellington, while the second Test starts on November 27 in Christchurch.
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