Sadagoppan Ramesh made a strong case for his selection in the Test team even as the Indians came off second best for the third successive day against Queensland Academy of Sports at Brisbane on Monday.
The Indians, never in the hunt for the target of 305 runs from 65 overs, lost a clutter of wickets before Ramesh steadied the ship and took the tourists to a draw with an unbeaten 37.
The hosts, resuming at their overnight score of 79-2, declared at the lunch score of 208-6 that included the second century of the match for Lee Carseldine. Indians, who trailed by 96 runs in the first innings, were thus set a 300-plus target in glorious sunny conditions and finished on 121 for four from 52 overs.
Three contenders for the opening berthVirender Sehwag (4), Akash Chopra (11) and Deep Dasgupta (8) gave little consolation to the tourists but Ramesh offers a ray of hope for at least one of the two berths.
Ramesh, with scores of 87, 36, 21 and 37 not out from four innings on the tour has looked the most consistent of all Indian batsmen and certainly saved them some blues today.
India lost Sehwag in only the third over of their second innings, when he fell leg before after scoring four runs off 13 balls. Sehwag now has scores of 23, 20, 6 and 4 on the tour.
Chopra's tendency to edge catches to the slips was once again highlighted by the home attack as the Delhi opener departed for 11 caught off hard-working Steve Magoffin as the Indians slumped to 32-2.
Deep Dasgupta left at the same total after looking solid in his 47-minute stay before a straight delivery went past his defence and bent back his off-stump.
Ramesh and Sourav Ganguly then built up a solid stand of 56 runs before the Indian captain was ruled caught in the lone slip off Chris Simpson, a decision that did not go well at all with the batsman who went off shaking his head in disapproval.
Ganguly batted for 82 minutes and faced 62 balls, hitting six fours to register his highest score on the tour so far.
Earlier, Carseldine again dominated the tourists' attack to score an unbeaten 109, to go with his 112 in the first innings. He batted for 199 minutes and hit 18 fours from 155 balls.
Carseldine on his overnight score of 31 took only half an hour to reach his half-century off 93 balls with 10 boundaries.
Left-arm paceman Irfan Pathan mouthed a few words at the departing batsman Craig Philipson after having him caught at the square leg boundary after the batsman had driven the bowler over mid-off for a staggering six. Philipson too shot back a few words at the rookie Indian fast bowler.
Kumble had his second scalp of the morning when Steve Farrell was stumped for two having learnt nothing from a reprieve in similar fashion a couple of deliveries earlier.
Ryan Le Loux faced just four balls for his unbeaten 12 that included a straight driven four off Laxmipathy Balaji and a mighty six over the press box off Virender Sehwag.
Vice-captain Rahul Dravid stood-in for Sourav Ganguly on the field today who chose to have an extended batting net while the game was on. Even when Ganguly came back to field in the second hour, Dravid continued to lead the side.
Scoreboard:
QAS Ist Innings: 304-6 decl
Indians Ist Innings: 208-9 decl
QAS 2nd Innings: 208-6 decl
Indians 2nd Innings:
Akash Chopra c Carseldine b Magoffin 11
Virender Sehwag lbw b Dawes 4
Deep Dasgupta b Jergensen 8
Sadagoppan Ramesh not out 37
Sourav Ganguly c Nye b Simpson 35
Rahul Dravid not out 20
Extras (lb-6) 6
Total (for 4 wkts, 52 overs) 121
Fall of wickets: 1-13, 2-32, 3-32, 4-88
Bowling: Joe Dawes 7-5-10-1, Scott Brant 7-2-11-0, Steve Magoffin 9-2-21-1, Shane Jergensen 5-2-13-1, Chris Simpson 4-4-22-1, Craig Philipson 3-2-6-0, Ryan Le Loux 7-0-32-0.
