KL Rahul, Virat Kohli and Ravindra Jadeja registered half-centuries while Ajinkya Rahane and Wriddhiman Saha also spent quality time in the middle as the Indian batsmen had a good workout on day two of the second warm-up game against West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) President’s XI at Warner Park in Basseterre, St. Kitts on Friday (July 15).Jadeja, who was the pick of the Indian bowlers on day one with figures of 3 for 16 in 13 overs, continued his impressive display, this time with the bat, as he registered a 52-ball half-century to extend the lead. Coming in at the fall of Ajinkya Rahane’s wicket, with the scorecard reading 254 for 7, Jadeja dealt in a flurry of boundaries in a brisk 44 run-stand with Wriddhiman Saha to take India’s lead past 100. While Saha fell just before tea, Jadeja continued positively, taking India past 300 and stretching the lead past 150 during the course of a 47-run partnership with R Ashwin.
Earlier, a steady partnership between Rahul and Kohli helped India wipe out the deficit in the first session. Starting the day at 95 for 3, Rahul and Kohli began cautiously and were happy to knock the ball around and offer the full face of the bat, while also putting away the loose deliveries to build a solid platform for India. Rahul, who remained on 49 for a few overs, reached his second fifty of the tour, off 111 deliveries. With back-to-back fours off Cornwall in the final over before lunch, Rahul extended his boundaries tally to 10 (9 fours and a six) as he helped India take a lead.Rahul, retired just before the start of the second session. The Indian captain went on to register his first half-century of the tour before being trapped in front of the stumps by Cornwall. Rahane and Binny then added 44 runs for the sixth wicket but Cornwall ended that stand, when Binny was caught down the leg side for 16.
Saha came out with a positive mindset, scoring three fours off Cornwall, while Rahane looked solid during his stay at the crease, as they helped India past 250. However, the stand yielded 23 runs as Rahane (32) was caught by Leon Johnson giving Cornwall his fourth wicket. After that Jadeja and Saha went after the bowling and stretched India’s lead past 100. While Saha was run out for 31, Jadeja remained unbeaten at tea, and went on to pile the misery in the final session.
Brief scores:
WICB President’s XI 180 & 26/1 (Leon Johnson 17; R Ashwin 1/14) trail
India 364 (KL Rahul 64, Ravindra Jadeja 56, Virat Kohli 51; Rahkeem Cornwall 5/118) by 158 runs.