Sourav Ganguly failed to get the match practice he desperately sought ahead of the opening Test against Australia after being dismissed for just 14 runs. But India A recovered from a shaky start to post 162 for three in their first innings on the second day of the four-day match against New Zealand A in Chennai on Saturday.
Unbeaten knocks by opener M Vijay (76) and Cheteshwar Pujara (49) lifted India A after their bowlers fought back well to dismiss New Zealand A, overnight 270 for 3, for 315 in 30 overs just before lunch.
But the hosts' first innings did not start on a very confident note and they were reeling at 56 for three, with opener Sahil Kukreja (0), captain Suresh Raina (11) and Ganguly (14), who was run-out, back in the pavilion.
Ganguly started off with a boundary to third man, played cautiously thereafter and picked a few singles, with Vijay getting more strike.
Kiwi skipper Peter Fulton introduced spin in the form of Nathan McCullum and runs became scarce. However, an unfazed Ganguly swept him to the fence when he strayed down the leg-side.
But the fireworks did not last long and Ganguly got out in the 23rd over. Vijay played the ball in the square leg region and called for a quick single.
Ganguly responded a trifle late and a direct throw from James Marshall caught him out of the crease at the striker's end with his bat in the air. He faced 39 balls during his 57-minute stay at the crease.
But, Vijay (192b, 9x4, 2x6) teamed up with Pujara (118b, 4x4) to resurrect the Indian innings. The two added 106 valuable runs in 39 overs for the unfinished fourth-wicket stand.
Earlier, leg-spinner Amit Mishra (6 for 81) continued with his impressive performance as he claimed four wickets, conceding just 19 runs off his 12 overs this morning, and left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja took two for 50 as New Zealand's batting collapsed for yet another time.
Medium pacer R P Singh provided the breakthrough in the morning, sending back Greg Hay, who looked dangerous on Friday, for 49 after the batsmen added just five runs.
The Indian reply started on a disastrous note with Kukreja getting out in the second over, edging Trent Boult to wicketkeeper Reece Young after playing outside the off-stump.
Raina was trapped leg before by Bradely Scott in his very first over, the 10th in the innings, with the score on 24.
Vijay, who scored 57 in the second innings of the previous match, and Pujara then rebuilt the innings mixing caution and strokeplay in the post-tea session.
Both did not hesitate to punish the bowlers whenever they erred. Vijay reached his half-century in the 44th over with a flick to the fine leg fence off McCullum and the team's 100 was also up.
McCullum, who claimed eight wickets in the first match, shouldered the bowling responsibility from the pavilion end and at one stage bowled unchanged for 19 overs but did not cause much trouble to Vijay and Pujara. He came in for special treatment from Vijay, who hit him for two sixes both over mid-wicket.
The batsmen cut loose in the last hour and runs started flowing, forcing Fulton to make frequent bowling changes but without any success.
Scorecard
New Zealand (1st innings): (overnight 270/3)
Aaron Redmond b R P Singh 105
Martin Guptill c Pujara b Mishra 80
Peter Fulton c Saha b Mishra 5
Greg Hay lbw b Singh 49
James Marshall c Jadeja b Mishra 31
B J Watling c Saha b Mishra 10
Reece Young lbw b Jadeja 13
Nathan McCullum lbw b Mishra 7
Bradely Scott lbw b Jadeja 0
Trent Boult not out 0
Ian O'Brien lbw b Mishra 0
Extras: (B-3, LB-7, NB-4, W-1) 15
Total: (all out in 120 overs) 315
Fall of wickets: 1-190, 2-195, 3-229, 4-275, 5-285, 6-305, 7-314, 8-315, 9-315.
Bowling: R P Singh 21-7-57-2; Ashok Dinda 19-4-48-0; Pradeep bSangwan 15-3-55-0; Amit Mishra 35-12-81-6; Ravindra Jadeja 24-8-50-2; Suresh Raina 6-1-14-0.
India A (1st innings):
Sahil Kukreja c Young b Boult 0
M Vijay batting 76
Suresh Raina lbw b Scott 11
Sourav Ganguly run out (Marshall) 14
C Pujara batting 49
Extras: (B-10, LB-1, NB-1) 12
Total: (for three wkts in 62 overs) 162
Fall of wickets: 1-1, 2-24, 3-56.
Bowling: Ian O'Brien 11-4-25-0; Trent Boult 13-4-29-1; Bradely Scott 13-5-24-1; Nathan McCullum 21-4-55-0; Aaron Redmond 3-0-15-0; Martin Guptill 1-0-3-0.