Ravindra Jadeja, KL Rahul shows their good form as the warm-up match ends in a draw
KL Rahul's scintillating century and all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja's twin fifties were the biggest positives as the three-day warm-up game between Indians and the Select County XI ended in a draw whereas India's top-three batsmen had a decent outing on Day 3 as their three-day warm-up match against County Select XI ended in a draw at Chester-le-Street in Durham on Thursday.
The Indians declared their second innings on 192/3, setting County XI 284 runs to win the match with a little over a session to go. Mayank Agarwal, Cheteshwar Pujara, and Hanuma Vihari spending some quality time in the middle along with the in-form Ravindra Jadeja, who followed up his first-innings 75 with 51 before retiring out.
The Irish-born off-spinner Jack Carson accounted for both the Indian wickets of Mayank and Pujara before the visitors declared with Vihari and Shardul Thakur (6 not out) at the crease, setting a target of 284 runs to chase for County Select XI. The County XI reached 31/0 with Haseeb Hameed and Jake Libby not throwing their wickets away. With the lights deteriorating and an early result seeing imminent, the players decided to shake hands and call it a day.
The Indians began the final day with some change in their batting order as Rahul and Rohit Sharma haven't batted in 2nd innings, and instead let Mayank Agarwal open the innings with Cheteshwar Pujara. India's top four – Agarwal, Pujara, Hanuma Vihari, and Jadeja received decent hit outs. Mayank played well for his 47 while Pujara contributed with 38 as the pair put on a fifty-plus stand.
Jadeja added to his impressive half-century with a second of the match while Vihari remained unbeaten in 43 off 105 balls with three boundaries, He retired on 51. With just a little over a session to play out, Hameed and Libby went about their business without many risks. The Indians operated four pacers – all of whom remained wicketless.
On Day 1, it was Rahul's century that set the base for Indians' first-innings total of 311. After India's top three returned cheaply, Rahul peeled off 101 before retiring as he along with Jadeja brought India back in the game. From 107/4, Jadeja and Rahul rallied with a 127-run partnership for the fifth wicket.
India had posted 311 in their first innings thanks to KL Rahul's (101) 15th first-class hundred and then bowled County XI out for 220 with Umesh Yadav (3 for 22) and Mohammed Siraj (2 for 32) playing the starring roles with the ball.
The Indians will play an intra-squad game from July 28 before facing England in the first Test at Trent Bridge on August 4.
