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Indian batsmen find form in pink-ball game

3 minute read

Mayank Agarwal, Hanuma Vihari, Shubman Gill and Rishabh Pant have all passed 50 on a lopsided second day of India's pink-ball tour game at the SCG.

PAT CUMMINS.
PAT CUMMINS. Picture: Jeremy Ng/Getty Images

Hanuma Vihari and Rishabh Pant have warmed up for the day-night Test with pink-ball centuries as Shubman Gill put forward a strong case to debut at Adelaide Oval.

Vihari (104no), Gill (65), Mayank Agarwal (61) and Rishabh Pant (103no) all enjoyed productive stints at the crease on day two of India's tour game at the SCG, which is their final tune-up for the first Test that begins on Thursday.

The sting had well and truly gone out of their three-day clash with Australia A at 10.08pm AEDT on Saturday, when Vihari brought up his ton with a single off allrounder Jack Wildermuth.

Pant piled more misery on the home side, smacking 22 runs off the final over of the day - delivered by Wildermuth - to reach three figures in 73 deliveries.

The hosts' attack was weakened by concussions for Cameron Green and Harry Conway, while Sean Abbott only delivered sevens overs during India's second innings because of a tight calf.

It was nonetheless a confidence-boosting day for Vihari, who is expected to bat at No.6 in the first Test, and Pant, who is locked in a battle with Wriddhiman Saha to take the gloves at Adelaide Oval.

And a very long day for Test squad member Mitch Swepson, who finished with figures of 1-148 from 29 overs.

The only upside for Joe Burns and Marcus Harris was the absence of a declaration, which would have forced them to confront star pacemen Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami under lights.

Burns, who is terribly out of form, and Harris will open together in Australia A's second innings then likely perform the same job for Australia in Adelaide.

India reached 4-386 at stumps on day two, boasting a 472-run lead.

Virat Kohli and Cheteshwar Pujara, the visitors' two best batsmen, opted for net sessions ahead of the tour match as the visitors mulled their likely XI for the first Test.

One of India's biggest conundrums - as is the case with Australia - is settling on their opening pairing for the four-Test series starter in South Australia.

Incumbents Agarwal and Prithvi Shaw are expected to be given the nod.

However, Shaw has logged scores of zero, 19, 40 and three in India's tour games.

Shaw threw away his wicket on Saturday, slapping a wide delivery from Mark Steketee to Swepson at point, and has done little to inspire confidence he can thrive in local conditions.

Gill was the pick of India's top six on Friday.

The right-hander, who boasts a staggering first-class average of 70, is showing the sort of form that suggests his Test debut could soon come.

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