During the ongoing 1st Unofficial Test between India A and New Zealand A in Lincoln, Indian batter Devdutt Padikkal delivered a monumental batting effort, scoring 199 runs off 248 balls. However, his pursuit of a maiden first-class double century ended in heartbreak following a controversial caught-behind decision.
The Incident: How Padikkal Was Dismissed
With Padikkal on the verge of his milestone at 199:
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The Delivery: New Zealand A pacer Zak Gibson bowled a delivery stranding down the leg side.
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The Appeal: As Padikkal attempted to flick/steer the ball, it brushed near his body and pad, deflecting slightly. The bowler and keeper issued a minor appeal for a catch behind.
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The Decision: The on-field umpire raised the finger, giving Padikkal out caught behind.
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The Reaction: Padikkal expressed visible shock and disappointment on the field, gesturing that the ball had made contact solely with his thigh pad/trousers and missed the bat entirely. Because the fixture is an unofficial Test, the Decision Review System (DRS) was not in operation, leaving Padikkal with no choice but to accept the decision and walk off.
Match Context & India A’s Counterattack
After being bowled out for just 113 in their first innings and conceding a 204-run lead to New Zealand A (317), India A mounted a massive second-innings fightback:
[ India A 1st Inn: 113 ] ──► [ NZ A 1st Inn: 317 ] ──► [ India A 2nd Inn: 488/8 ] (Lead: 284 Runs)
Key Scorers in India A’s 2nd Innings:
| Batter | Score | Highlights / Match Context |
| Devdutt Padikkal | 199 (248 balls) | 24 Fours, 3 Sixes; Anchored the innings & led the comeback. |
| Sai Sudharsan | 91 | Shared a crucial 215-run partnership with Padikkal. |
| Yash Rathod | 66 | Stitched a 142-run partnership for the 5th wicket. |
| Washington Sundar | 51* | Unbeaten half-century guiding the lower order. |
By the close of Day 3, India A stood at 488/8, taking an overall lead of 284 runs with Washington Sundar and Akash Deep set to resume batting on Day 4.