SYDNEY, Dec 6: Test specialists Ajinkya Rahane and Cheteshwar Pujara scored bulk of the scoring as other Indian batsmen failed to impress on the opening day of the three-day warm-up game between Australia ‘A’ and India ‘A’ at the Drummoyne Oval on Sunday.
While Rahane scored a brilliant unbeaten 108, Pujara — who hasn’t played any competitive cricket since the Ranji Trophy final against Bengal in March — scored 54 to help India ‘A’ reach 237/8 at Stumps.
Winning the toss and electing to bat, India ‘A’ didn’t got off to a great start as young openers Shubman Gill and Prithvi Shaw went back to the dressing room without troubling the scorers.
Hanuma Vihari (15) then stitched a nice, little partnership with Pujara and took the team’s score to 40 before he was out lbw by Jackson Bird.
Rahane, who is leading the side and is expected to lead India after Virat Kohli’s departure in the upcoming Test series, then took the India ‘A’ innings forward and along with Pujara steadied the ship. Both the senior batsmen used all their experience to tackle the impressive bowling display on offer by the Australia ‘A’ bowlers.
The duo stitched together a 76-run partnership before Pujara was caught at leg-slip after contributing with 54 off 140 balls.
Wriddhiman Saha (0) and Ravichandran Ashwin (5) departed cheaply before spinner Kuldeep Yadav resurrected the innings and alongside Rahane, he added 69 runs for the seventh wicket.
Umesh Yadav played a nice cameo of 24 and stitched 38-run partnership during which Rahane reached his three-figure mark.
At the end of the day’s play, Rahane was unbeaten at 108 (228 balls; 16 fours and a six) and was accompanied by Mohammed Siraj at 0*.
For Australia ‘A’, James Pattinson was the pick of the bowlers as he scalped three wickets for 58 in his 19 overs. Michael Nesser and skipper Travis Head picked two wickets each. (IANS)
Brief scores:
India ‘A’: 237/8 (Ajinkya Rahane 108*, Cheteshwar Pujara 54; James Pattinson 3/58)
