Tour match: Gill, Mayank and Vihari put India on top against Australia A
Dec 12, 2020
Sydney [Australia], December 12 : Mayank Agarwal and Hanuma Vihari further consolidated India's position on the second day of the ongoing day-night practice game against Australia A on Saturday here at the Sydney Cricket Ground.
At the dinner break, Ajinkya Rahane-led India's score read 222/3, leading the hosts by 308 runs. Vihari and Rahane are batting on 57 and 26 respectively.
Resuming the second session on 111/2, Mayank and Hanuma Vihari added 50 more runs to the total, and this saw opening batsman Mayank going past his half-century mark. However, in trying to hit the ball up on the rise, Mayank (61) ended up giving his wicket away to Jack Wildermuth, reducing India to 161/3.
Skipper Rahane then joined Vihari in the middle and the duo mixed caution with aggression to take India to a position of strength. The duo ensured that the side did not lose more wickets before the break on the second day.
Earlier, Shubman Gill's half-century in the first session had put the visitors in a comfortable position. Openers Prithvi Shaw and Mayank Agarwal opened for the visiting team in the second innings and Shaw (3) failed to make a mark again and was sent back to the pavilion in the same fashion as in the first innings.
Gill then joined Mayank in the middle. The duo played cautiously and stitched a 104-run stand for the second wicket. Meanwhile, Gill smashed a half-century in 49 balls with the help of nine boundaries. Mitchell Swepson finally sent Gill back to the pavilion after playing a knock of 65 runs.
The show in the second innings was a much-improved one after India was bundled out for 194 in their first innings. The Indian bowlers then came out all guns blazing to bundle out Australia A for 108 to take an important 86-run lead at stumps on the opening day.
Mohammad Shami and Navdeep Saini picked three wickets each, while Jasprit Bumrah backed up his maiden fifty with two wickets. Mohammed Siraj also picked a wicket as he kept bowling a testing line.
Brief Scores: India 194 and 222/3 (Gill 65, Mayank, 61, Vihari 57*); Australia A 108
