The result was confirmed shortly after Rathod reached his milestone, a moment that prompted both teams to shake hands. The final day’s play had been interrupted by rain, which caused more than 90 minutes of lost time, but the dominant partnership between the two left-handers ensured India A remained in a position of strength throughout the closing stages of the contest.
A Resilient Partnership Seals the Draw
India A resumed the final day at 32/0, looking to build on their overnight position. However, the morning session saw a brief period of pressure as the New Zealand A bowling attack claimed two quick wickets. Jarrod McKay provided the initial breakthrough by dismissing Sai Sudharsan for 11, and Brett Randell followed up in the subsequent over by removing Devdutt Padikkal for a duck, leaving the visitors at 35/2.
Following the early setbacks, Jaiswal and Rathod combined for an unbroken 247-run partnership for the third wicket, effectively shutting the door on any hopes of a New Zealand A victory. Jaiswal was particularly aggressive, reaching his century from just 119 balls. By the time the match was called off, he remained unbeaten on 155 from 162 deliveries, an innings highlighted by 15 fours and five sixes.
Rathod provided steady support before accelerating his scoring rate to reach his own century. He finished on 100 not out from 122 balls, striking nine boundaries in the process. His performance marked a significant contribution following his previous scores of 44 not out and 66 in the opening match of the series. The two sides are now set to meet for the third and final unofficial Test, which is scheduled to begin on November 7 at the Bert Sutcliffe Oval in Lincoln.
