India's batsmen got a much-needed workout ahead of the Test series against Australia as they put up 375 runs in 90 overs before their two-day tour game against Cricket Australia XI ended in a draw at the Glenelg Oval, in Adelaide, on Friday.
After notching up 375 runs in their first innings, the visitors reduced the hosts to 83 for 5 in 21 overs in their second innings before play was called off.
India started the day on their overnight score of 99-2, with stand-in skipper Virat Kohli and opener Murali Vijay at the crease.
Looking to carry on their 63-run stand for the third wicket, they batted the whole morning and stretched their partnership to 123. Both batsmen went on to score fine half-centuries, making good use of the lives they were granted on Thursday when they were on 0 and 5 respectively.
Both Kohli and Vijay retired after their fifties.
Kohli went at the end of the 43rd over of the innings, after scoring 66 runs off 94 balls (10 fours), while Vijay walked off two overs later, after scoring 60 runs off 136 balls (10 fours).
This brought Rohit Sharma and Ajinkya Rahane to the crease.
Both batted with fluency -- Rahane looked comfortable against both pace and spin, while Sharma opened up against the slower bowlers as they put on 103 runs for the fifth wicket.
Rahane retired after scoring 56 runs off only 64 balls (7 fours) while Sharma (48 runs off 73 balls) was run-out after being involved in a mix-up with Wriddhiman Saha.
Saha then paired up with Suresh Raina (20) and looked to score some quick runs. He went on to score 51 runs off 67 balls (8 fours), with Ravindra Jadeja (23) too spending some time in the middle.
Saha was the last man out in the 90th over.
For Cricket Australia XI, Josh Lalor picked 4-59 in 17 overs.
The Indian team management then opted to bowl 24 overs in the day, calling off the match before the final hour of play. They only bowled 21 off those, choosing to play football afterwards instead.
Umesh Yadav (1-30) and Varun Aaron (1-28) looked sharp in their short spells, bowling with pace, but were a touch expensive.
Ishant Sharma (2-8) picked up two late wickets in his five overs. Karn Sharma (1-16) too added one to his kitty before play was called off.
Scorecard
Cricket Australia XI (1st innings):
R Carters c Dhawan b Shami 1
J Silk c Raina b Aaron 58
A Turner b Aaron 0
M Short c Saha b Shami 19
A Keath c Pujara b Sharma 19
J Doran c Kohli b Sharma 25
S Gotch not out 58
E Gulbis b Aaron 1
J Lalor c Shami b Jadeja 21
J Pattison c Yadav b Sharma 16
S Rainbird c Raina b Aaron 4
Extras: ( B 3, LB 9, W 0, NB 9) 21
Total: (in 68.3 overs) 243
Fall of wickets: 1-2, 2-6, 3-34, 4-105, 5-111, 6-158, 7-159, 8-197, 9-229, 10-243.
Bowling: M Shami12-0-37-2, V Aaron14.3-2-41-4, U Yadav12-2-47-0, I Sharma11-2-37-0, K Sharma13-2-7-3, R Jadeja 6-2-12-1
Indians (1st innings):
M Vijay retired out 60
S Dhawan c Pattison b Lalor 0
C Pujara c Turner b Lalor 22
V Kohli retired out 66
A Rahane retired out 56
R Sharma run out (Gulbis) 48
W Saha c Turner b Moody 51
S Raina c Silk b Turner 20
R Jadeja c Carters b Lalor 23
K Sharma c Turner b Lalor 4
U Yadav not out 3
Extras: (b 5, lb 7, nb 10) 22
Total: (all out; 90 overs) 375
Did not bat: M Shami, I Sharma, V Aaron
Fall of wickets: 1-1, 2-36, 3-159, 4-169, 5-262, 6-272, 7-311, 8-351, 9-355, 10-375.
Bowling: S Rainbird 22-4-81-0 (9nb), J Lalor 17-4-59-4, E Gulbis 17-3-48-0 (1nb), D Moody 13-1-56-1, M Short 8-0-47-0, J Pattison 7-1-32-0, A Turner 6-1-40-1.
Cricket Australia XI (2nd innings):
J Silk not out 41
R Carters lbw b Aaron 0
AJ Turner lbw b Yadav 12
M Short b I Sharma 26
A Keath c Saha b I Sharma 0
J Doran lbw K Sharma 0
S Gotch not out 0
Extras: (lb 1, nb 3) 4
Total: (5 wickets; 21 overs) 83
Did not bat: E Gulbis, J Lalor, J Pattison, S Rainbird, D Moody
Fall of wickets: 1-8, 2-35, 3-75, 4-80, 5-83
Bowling: U Yadav 5-0-30-1, V Aaron 6-2-28-1 (1nb), I Sharma 5-1-8-2 (2nb), K Sharma 5-1-16-1.
Image: Virat Kohli
Photograph: Hagen Hopkins/Getty Images
