The third and final unofficial Test between India A and New Zealand A ended in a draw after persistent rain washed out the fourth day in Lincoln on Tuesday. Despite brief hopes of play, the weather once again intervened, forcing the match to be called off at 1 pm local time without a single delivery being bowled.
The three-match series concluded with a 0-0 scoreline, providing valuable preparation for several Indian players ahead of the upcoming two-Test series against New Zealand, beginning November 19.
Yashasvi Jaiswal emerged as one of India's biggest positives, continuing his impressive red-ball form with a century in the third unofficial Test. His 102-run knock took his series tally to 279 runs in five innings at an outstanding average of 69.75.
The battle for India's No. 3 batting position also remained in focus, with Devdutt Padikkal and B Sai Sudharsan making strong impressions. Padikkal, the incumbent contender for the position, delivered a 199-run innings in the opening match. Meanwhile, Sai Sudharsan strengthened his case with two half-centuries, scoring 91 in the first game and 88 in India's only innings of the third match.
Wicketkeeper-batter Dhruv Jurel also continued his impressive performances, following up his earlier century with a valuable 71 in the final game. With Rishabh Pant's availability still uncertain due to his recovery from a side strain, Jurel remains a strong contender for a place in India's playing XI.
Tilak Varma, who is yet to make his Test debut and is not part of India's Test squad for the upcoming series, also showcased his red-ball capabilities. He scored an unbeaten 81 before India declared their innings at 464 for 5 on the second day.
For New Zealand A, Dean Foxcroft was the standout batter, finishing as the leading run-scorer for his side with 196 runs in four innings at an average of 65.33. His highest score was 93 in the second match in Christchurch.
Among the bowlers, uncapped pacer Zak Gibson topped the series wicket-taking charts with eight wickets, making a strong impression ahead of New Zealand's upcoming Test assignments.
India also used the third match to provide valuable match practice to key members of their senior bowling attack. Jasprit Bumrah, Ravindra Jadeja and Prasidh Krishna featured in the game as India looked to fine-tune their preparations.
However, rain and limited playing time restricted their opportunities. Bumrah and Prasidh bowled a combined 11 overs, while Jadeja did not get an opportunity to bowl. Although Bumrah went wicketless, he impressed with his accuracy, while Prasidh claimed both New Zealand A wickets to fall.
Bumrah had been rested for the white-ball series against West Indies and New Zealand, while Jadeja joined the squad after featuring in two Ranji Trophy matches for Saurashtra. Prasidh, meanwhile, returned to action after recovering from a hamstring injury sustained during the second ODI against West Indies in September.
New Zealand are yet to announce their squad for the upcoming Test series. Tom Latham, Daryl Mitchell, Henry Nicholls, Glenn Phillips and Nathan Smith are set to leave the ongoing ODI squad ahead of the fifth match to prepare for the red-ball challenge.
Although persistent rain prevented a result in the final unofficial Test, the series provided India with encouraging performances from several batting contenders and valuable preparation ahead of the two-Test contest beginning November 19.
