'Rohit Sharma's match fitness is a good sign for the Indian team'

Rohit Sharma showed no signs of the finger injury that kept him out of action for over two months as he hammered the visiting Sri Lanka bowlers and scored 142 off 111 balls, said India 'A' coach Sanjay Bangar, after his team won the warm-up game at the Brabourne stadium, in Mumbai, on Thursday.

"Rohit Sharma showed he's absolutely fit while batting. He is a quality player. He didn't get a game because of the injury. His match fitness had to be assessed and that was the reason the selectors had dropped him (from the first three ODIs against Sri Lanka). He gave a fantastic account of himself.

"He has been practising really hard over the last 10 days at BKC (Bandra Kurla Complex ground), and he showed the total recovery from that injury while batting. He showed no discomfort at all. He fielded throughout the 50 overs and these are good signs for the Indian team," said Bangar, after India 'A' swamped the Lankans by 88 runs.

Sharma, who injured his right middle finger in the first ODI against England during India's visit earlier this year, hit one six and 18 fours while opening the innings with Unmukt Chand (54). He run-out by a direct hit at the striker's end when going for a second run. 

India 'A' ran up a huge total 382 for 6 and then restricted the visitors, who will now play a five-ODI series against India from November 2, to 294 for 9. 

Bangar also praised Manish Pandey, saying the Karnataka batsman's punishing knock of 135 not out, off 113 balls, will give him a lot of confidence.

He also praised the India 'A' bowlers, saying they stuck to plans. 

"There were a lot of positives, especially the way we got the partnerships for the opening, second and third wicket. The running between the wickets; the intent was there. We were playing eleven and they were exercising all their options. That was an added challenge and the way bowlers responded was terrific. All of them bowled to a plan and executed well."

Asked whether leg-spinner Karn Sharma, who ripped through the Lankan middle order and picked four wickets for 47 runs, has now emerged as a strong candidate for a berth in India's World Cup squad, Bangar said not only he but all those who are part of the India and India 'A' squads have a good chance.

He, however, did not read too much into Lanka's defeat.

"They wanted to test all their options and cover all areas (Sri Lanka tried out all their players in the match). The results of such matches don't matter a lot to visiting sides as much as they matter to the home teams. They are a quality side. They have crowned themselves as World champions in one format (T20) of the game." 

Karn Sharma said he and the other bowlers stuck to a plan.

"We had a good target to defend. Our aim was to restrict them and we bowled in the right areas. The wicket was good, we did not give easy balls to hit. We bowled line and length."