Ajinkya Rahane, Hanuma Vihari tune up for West Indies Tests with fifties
R Ashwin, who didn't bowl in the first innings, bowled eight overs in the second, taking 1 for 18
ESPNcricinfo staff
20-Aug-2019
Ajinkya Rahane steers into the off side • Getty Images
Indians 297 for 6 dec (Pujara 100 retired out, Rohit 68, Carter 3-39) and 188 for 5 dec (Vihari 64, Rahane 54, Frazer 2-43) drew with West Indies A 181 (Hodge 51, Umesh 3-19, Ishant 3-21) and 47 for 3 (Solozano 16, Jadeja 1-3)
Ajinkya Rahane and Hanuma Vihari got ready for India's first World Test Championship fixture with half-centuries as the Indians' tour game against West Indies A ended in a draw at Coolidge Cricket Ground in Antigua.
After dismissing the hosts for 181 and earning a first-innings lead worth 116, the Indians built on it, thanks to Rahane and Vihari. Seamer Romario Shepherd had dismissed opener Mayank Agarwal for his second cheap score of the match, but captain Rahane, who had promoted himself to open, and Vihari gave the innings direction with a 96-run partnership.
The stand ended when Vihari was pinned in front of the wickets by offspinner Akim Frazer for 64. Wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant (19), Ravindra Jadeja (9) and Rahane (54) were then dismissed in quick succession, leaving India at 162 for 5. Wriddhiman Saha, the other wicketkeeper-batsman, and R Ashwin then pushed the total to 188, and the lead to 304, before the Indians declared.
West Indies A used as many as nine bowlers, with Frazer (2 for 43) the pick of them.
When the home side batted, Ashwin, who didn't bowl in the first innings, came in as first change and removed No. 3 Brandon King for 14. Jadeja and Jasprit Bumrah also picked up a wicket each, helping the visitors limit West Indies A to 47 for 3 before the players shook hands.
