Devdutt Padikkal scored 199 runs for India A in the first unofficial Test against New Zealand A. The match is being played at Bert Sutcliffe Oval in Lincoln. He fell one run short of a double century. His dismissal was controversial. He was given out caught behind down the leg side off the bowling of Zak Gibson. Padikkal looked very unhappy with the decision. He seemed to signal that the ball had not touched his bat. There was no DRS available, so he had to leave the field.
India A had finished Day 2 on 106 for 2 in their second innings. Padikkal was unbeaten on 56. Sai Sudharsan was on 39. The team was still trailing New Zealand A. The hosts had made 317 in their first innings. That gave them a lead of 204 runs. India A had been bowled out for just 113 in their first innings.
On Day 3, Padikkal continued from where he left off. He anchored the innings. He shared a 215-run partnership with Sudharsan, who made 91. Padikkal then added another 142 runs with Yash Rathod. Rathod scored 66. Their stands helped India A recover strongly. Padikkal’s 199 was a huge boost for the team.
Earlier, New Zealand A resumed the day on 135 for 3. They went on to make 317. Dean Foxcroft scored 51. Curtis Heaphy made 44. Matthew Clarke added 42, and Rhys Mariu top-scored with 76. For India A, Anshul Kamboj took three wickets. Auqib Nabi also took three. Akash Deep claimed two wickets. Washington Sundar dismissed Foxcroft.
Many felt on social media that Padikkal deserved a double century. Some called it heartbreaking. Others praised his innings despite the disappointment. One fan wrote, “So close to double magic, yet a monumental knock.” Another said, “A heartbreaking moment for Devdutt Padikkal. He dismissed for 199 and missed a well-deserved double hundred.”
The two-match Test series against New Zealand starts on November 19. Padikkal is expected to play a key role. He was also in excellent form in India’s two-Test series against Sri Lanka in August. In the first Test, he scored 167 and 44. India won that match by 165 runs. In the second Test, he scored 117. That match ended in a draw.
…His Red-Ball Hundreds in India, Sri Lanka and New Zealand
Devdutt Padikkal is building a strong case for himself and his hundreds in different conditions show why. He has scored big runs in Sri Lanka, New Zealand, and domestic cricket in India. Each innings has added to his reputation.
In the first Test at Galle, Padikkal scored 167 off 230 balls. It was his first Test century. KL Rahul called it the defining innings in India’s 165-run win. Padikkal resumed on 131 on a rain-hit second day. He went on to reach a career-best score. He hit 15 fours and one six. His footwork against the spinners was decisive.
In the second Test in Colombo, he scored 117 off 193 balls. This was another hundred in difficult conditions. He was dropped twice early, on 0 and 1. He anchored the innings through the post-tea session. He was eventually bowled by Keshara Nuwantha. With this knock, Padikkal became the first India No. 3 since Cheteshwar Pujara in 2018-19 to score centuries in back-to-back away Tests.
Padikkal has not yet played a Test in New Zealand. But he has already scored a first-class hundred there. In the first unofficial Test for India A against New Zealand A at Bert Sutcliffe Oval in Lincoln, he made 199. He fell one run short of a double century. His dismissal was a contentious caught-behind call. It was his 12th first-class century. He reached the hundred off 128 deliveries with a six off Jayden Lennox.
Padikkal has been a prolific scorer for Karnataka. His first first-class century came in the 2021-22 Ranji Trophy. He scored 178 against Puducherry in March 2022. In the 2025-26 Ranji Trophy, Padikkal scored his first double century. He made 232 in the semi-final against Uttarakhand. That became his highest first-class score. It beat his previous best of 193 against Punjab.
FAQs
Q. How many runs did Devdutt Padikkal score against New Zealand A?
A. Padikkal scored 199 runs in India A’s second innings.
Q. Who partnered Devdutt Padikkal during his 199-run innings?
A. Padikkal shared a 215-run stand with Sai Sudharsan and a 142-run partnership with Yash Rathod.
Q. How many centuries has Devdutt Padikkal scored in first-class cricket?
A. Padikkal has scored 12 first-class centuries.
Q. How did Padikkal perform in the two-Test series against Sri Lanka?
A. Padikkal scored 167 and 44 in the first Test, followed by 117 in the second.
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