Padikkal Hits Seventh Century for India A in Lucknow
Devdutt Padikkal marked a fantastic return to the India A setup on Friday with his seventh First-Class century against Australia A in Lucknow. After starting the day on 86 runs, Padikkal wasted no time in completing his century, reaching the milestone in just 20 balls during the fourth morning’s play. His swift knock brought India A closer to Australia A’s first-innings total of 532/6 declared.
This century also pushed Padikkal past the 3000-run mark in First-Class cricket, which he achieved in only 74 innings. At 25, Padikkal is making an impactful comeback after being out of competitive cricket for several months, having only played during the IPL 2025 season with Royal Challengers Bengaluru, the IPL champions. His consistency and resilience during this period will likely attract selectors for future Indian cricket assignments.
A Crucial Partnership with Dhruv Jurel
Padikkal’s excellent form continued as he formed a strong partnership with Dhruv Jurel, India A’s wicketkeeper, on Day 2. Together, they built a steady 200-plus stand for the fifth wicket, helping India A recover well. Jurel, in particular, impressed with his aggressive counter-attacking batting, scoring 10 boundaries and four sixes in his second First-Class century. Jurel took on the off-spin of Rocchiccioli, hammering 47 runs off 46 balls, which included three sixes.
“Jurel’s ability to maintain pressure through his aggressive stroke-play further strengthened his case as one of India’s top wicketkeeping options,” said cricket analysts.
Padikkal and Jurel’s performances offer a promising glimpse into India A’s future prospects and could prove crucial as they continue their battle against Australia A in Lucknow. Padikkal’s ability to make a strong return and Jurel’s growing stature are sure to capture the attention of selectors as the team builds towards future international challenges.
The India A squad’s efforts in this match show not just individual brilliance, but also the team’s growing unity and potential to challenge higher-ranked teams.
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