Padikkal scores 150 in rain-affected high-scoring draw
Rocchiccioli was the most successful Australian bowler, picking up 3 for 159
ESPNcricinfo staff
19-Sep-2025 • 6 hrs ago
Devdutt Padikkal brings up his century • Tanuj/ Ekana Cricket Stadium
Australia A 532 for 6 dec (Philippe 123*, Konstas 109, Dubey 3-141) and 56 for 0 drew with India A 531 for 7 dec (Padikkal 150, Jurel 140, Rocchiccioli 3-159)
Devdutt Padikkal scored his seventh first-class hundred to lead India's response as the first four-day game in Lucknow ended in a high-scoring draw.
India A resumed the day on 403 for 4 with Padikkal on 86 and Dhruv Jurel on 113. Jurel could add only 27 to his overnight score but Padikkal carried on. Along with Tanush Kotian, he added 41 for the sixth wicket. Padikkal hit 14 fours and a six in his 150 before falling to Corey Rocchiccioli's offspin.
Soon after that, India declared their innings, on 531 for 7, one run behind Australia's first-innings total. The Australian openers, Sam Konstas and Campbell Kellaway, came out to bat for 16 overs, in which they added an unbroken 56.
Just like the previous three days, rain once again interrupted play on Friday.
"Unfortunately, the rain probably didn't help us over the four days," Rocchiccioli said. "I think if there were no rain, it probably would have allowed for a result somewhere along the line. But it was an invaluable experience with the group that we have picked. The players who have played here… first hit out for some of them in a while. So to be able to play in some foreign conditions, learn your game a little bit better, have some really good conversations in the change rooms, I think has helped everyone be better for these conditions and move forward to the next game."
Rocchiccioli was the most successful Australian bowler, picking up 3 for 159 in 36.1 overs. Apart from dismissing Padikkal, he got rid of Shreyas Iyer and Kotian.
"Look, there's actually probably no direct plan," he said when asked about the Iyer lbw. "I was just hoping to land the ball on the stumps. I probably didn't bowl my best leading into that moment. Luckily enough, one sort of spun and took his pad. He is obviously a really big player that we looked at a lot during the pre-game, but there was nothing there that I thought was a weakness or anything. I just knew that I had to bowl good balls and ask good questions and I was lucky enough to have the wicket at that moment."
The second four-dayer will also be played in Lucknow, from September 23.
