India A pacers Mukesh Kumar and Mohammed Siraj were among the wickets but New Zealand A grabbed a 78-run lead in 2nd Unofficial Test at Christchurch on Monday.
Published: November 2, 2026, 12:55 PM IST
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India A pacer Mukesh Kumar(Photo: IANS)
India A vs New Zealand A 2026: Team India pacers Mukesh Kumar and Mohammed Siraj warmed up in style for the two-match Test series against New Zealand set to begin at Wellington later this monthBengal and Delhi Capitals pacer Mukesh Kumar and Siraj shared nine wickets between them to bundle out New Zealand A team for 424 on Day 3 of the 2nd Unofficial Test at the Hagley Oval in Christchurch on Monday.
The home side managed to grab a lead of 78 runs thanks to a 208-run partnership for the fourth wicket between Matthew Boyle and Dean FoxcroftBoyle was the first to depart on the third day for 110 off 152 balls with 14 fours and 1 six – caught by Devdutt Padikkal off SirajThe Gujarat Titans pacer struck for the second time on the third day with Foxcroft falling seven runs short of his century.
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Foxcroft was trapped leg-before for 93 off 226 balls with 9 fours in his inningsBoyle and Foxcroft had helped NZ A recover from Mukesh Kumar’s double-strike on second day to reduce then to 13 for 3 in their first innings in reply to Indian score of 346.
DISCIPLINE & FIREPOWER IN CHRISTCHURCH!
Sensational red-ball bowling from the pace duo in the 1st innings of the 2nd unofficial Test:
Mukesh Kumar: 29-9-87-5 ️
Mohammed Siraj: 35-8-118-4 ⚡Combined 9 wickets between them across 64 hostile overs.
Relentless workhorse effort in overseas conditions!
— Hemant Bhavsar (@hemantbhavsar86) November 2, 2026
Mukesh struck once again after dismissing Foxcroft, getting Kiwi wicketkeeper Mitchell Hay caught behind for 31 off 73 balls with 1 six and 3 foursNZ A were struggling at 270 for 6 after Mukesh Kumar’s second double-strike of the game.
But New Zealand A’s last three batters put up a sterling display to give their side a useful first innings lead with one day remaining in the matchNo9-batter Fraser Sheat scored 40 off 51 balls with 1 six and 5 fours, No10 Jayden Lennox remained unbeaten on 32 off 97 balls with 4 fours and No11 Jarrod McKay score 33 off 75 balls with 2 foursLennox and McKay put on 55 runs for the last wicket to extend NZ A lead from 23 to 78 runs.
Siraj claimed 4 for 118 in 35 overs while seamer Mukesh Kumar snared 5 for 87 in 29 overs to share the bulk of the spoilsSundar dismissed McKay to claim the final wicket of the inningsAt stumps on third day, India A had reached 32 for no loss in the second innings with Yashasvi Jaiswal (20 batting) and Sai Sudharsan (11 batting) negotiating the remaining 11 overs of the day.
Jaiswal will be pleased to get off the mark after getting dismissed for 0 in the first innings in the second unofficial TestSudharsan, who opened the innings with Jaiswal, had scored 41 off 63 balls in the first innings.
Brief Scores: India A 1st Innings 346 and 32 for no loss (Yashasvi Jaiswal 20 batting) vs New Zealand A 1st Innings 424 (Matthew Boyle 110, Dean Foxcroft 93, Mukesh Kumar 5/87, Mohammed Siraj 4/118)
