Sydney: Murali Vijay (129, 132b, 16×4, 5×6) struck a confident century while KL Rahul (62, 98b, 8×4, 1×6) scored a half century on the fourth day of the warm-up game against Cricket Australia XI (CA XI) here Saturday, easing off any worries in the Indian dressing room in their final outing before the first Test.
Vijay, returning to the Test squad after being dropped mid-way through the England tour, celebrated his comeback with an unbeaten century off 118 balls. He looked solid throughout the innings on the fourth day, and had reached his half century off 91 balls.
Thereafter he sped through the second fifty-runs, off only 27 balls. He hit 26 runs off Jake Carder (0/41) in one over to race to his hundred.
Earlier, the pair of Vijay and Rahul put on 109 runs for the opening wicket as India finished at 211/2 (43.4 overs) in their second innings at stumps on day four of the tour game against CA XI at the Sydney Cricket Ground.
Rahul batted with greater confidence than in recent times as he warmed up for the first Test. At times, he did look shaky with circumspect timing, as seen in his dismissal off a full toss caught at mid-wicket. Hanuma Vihari (15 n o) came out at No.3 ahead and finished unbeaten at stumps.
This was after CA XI finished at 544 runs in their first innings and kept India in the field for as long as possible. India had scored 358 in their first innings. Mohammed Shami (3/97) did not bowl on the final day, while Ravichandran Ashwin (2/122) and Ishant Sharma (1/73) sent down a majority of overs in the morning session.
India though tested their fifth bowling options again as Vihari (0/34), Virat Kohli (1/27) and Murali Vijay (0/17) sent down 13 overs between them.
Brief scores: India 358 & 211/2 (Murali Vijay 129, KL Rahul 62); CA XI 544 (Harry Nielsen 100, Daniel Fallins 43; R Ashwin 2/122). Match drawn.
