Devdutt Padikkal claimed his maiden First-Class wickets during a spell against New Zealand A in the first unofficial Test at Lincoln's Bert Sutcliffe Oval on Tuesday, October 27. The Indian batter took two wickets with his part-time off-spin, while poor light forced left-arm seamer Mukesh Choudhary to bowl spin.

Padikkal played an impressive 199-run knock on Day 3. He helped India A recover from a 204-run first-innings deficit. The visitors were bowled out for just 113, and New Zealand A responded with 317. However, his dismissal one run short of a double century also sparked debate over the umpire's decision.

Devdutt Padikkal Takes Two Wickets as Mukesh Choudhary Bowls Spin

Devdutt padikkal 1st wicket in this match Look how cute 😊🥰he is looking after taking wicket 😭😭 https://t.co/02ZiMB1yxp

— SAIF ❤️‍🔥 (@munawar_army) October 27, 2026

Captain Dhruv Jurel brought Devdutt Padikkal into the attack despite the batter having bowled only 14 overs in First-Class cricket before this match. Padikkal made an immediate impact, dismissing Fraser Sheat in his first over.

Sheat leaned forward to defend but edged the ball, allowing KL Rahul to take a comfortable catch at first slip. The Karnataka duo combined to give India A an early breakthrough.

Zak Gibson also edged a delivery, and Rahul took a good low catch at first slip. New Zealand A lost their eighth wicket as Padikkal claimed his second wicket of the innings.

The umpires later checked the light at both ends and stopped the fast bowlers from bowling. This forced left-arm seamer Mukesh Choudhary to switch to left-arm orthodox spin. He bowled a mix of loopy deliveries, seam-up balls and a low full toss to Curtis Heaphy and Simon Keene.

Devdutt Padikkal Falls for 199 After Controversial Decision

Devdutt Padikkal had dominated the New Zealand A attack earlier in the match, bringing up his 12th First-Class century with a six off Jayden Lennox. He finished with 199 off 248 balls, including 24 fours and three sixes, but fell just short of a double century after a disputed caught-behind decision.

Zak Gibson bowled a delivery down the leg side, and Padikkal tried to clip it but missed. Wicketkeeper Mitchell Hay collected the ball, and New Zealand A appealed. The umpire raised his finger, leaving Padikkal visibly stunned as he remained at the crease before walking off.

Padikkal used his hands to demonstrate how far the ball had passed from his bat, suggesting that it had only brushed his leg pads. The decision ended his innings one run short of the milestone, despite his apparent disbelief.

Sai Sudharsan and Yash Rathod Help India A Recover

India A's second innings began poorly after their first-innings collapse. Yashasvi Jaiswal fell to a bouncer, while KL Rahul was bowled within the first five overs, leaving the visitors at 10/2.

Devdutt Padikkal and Sai Sudharsan then added 215 runs for the third wicket, handling the strong winds and punishing loose deliveries. Sudharsan scored 91 before top-edging a short ball, while Padikkal continued to attack and wiped out the deficit.

Padikkal later shared another 142-run stand with Yash Rathod, who made 66 before falling shortly after tea. Padikkal's performance also adds to the competition for India's No. 3 Test spot.

He entered the senior side after Sudharsan suffered an injury during the Sri Lanka series and scored centuries in both Tests he played, as well as a hundred in the preceding tour game. Sudharsan's 91 against New Zealand A keeps the selection debate open.