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Indians 297 for 5 dec (Pujara 100, Rohit 68, Carter 3-39) and 188 for 5 dec (Vihari 64, Rahane 54) drew with West Indies A 181 (Hodge 51, Umesh 3-19, Ishant 3-21) and 47 for 3
Coolidge: An initially out of sorts Ajinkya Rahane (54) and Hanuma Vihari picked up from where they had left off on the Day 3 of India’s tour match against West Indies A at the Coolidge in Antigua and went onto register morale boosting half-centuries.
India began the final day in Antigua with a 200-run lead to boast off and take off from after their bowlers had bundled out the hosts with relative ease on the second day.
Rahane and Vihari eventually put on a 96-run partnership for the second wicket as India kept piling on the runs and get some much needed batting practice in the conditions before the first Test beginning on August 22.
Vihari, who was stuck nine boundaries and a six, was the first to go on the final day as he was trapped lbw by Akim Frazer for a 125-ball 64.
The mercurial Rishabh Pant walked in with a plan to take the attack to the bowlers, but as has been the case in his recent India appearances he faltered early on and was run-out for 19.
All-rounder Ravindra Jadeja (9) also perished cheaply before Frazer made Rahane his second victim of the innings.
Wriddhiman Saha (14*) and R Ashwin (10*) then had to dig in and ensure there wasn’t an untimely collapse as India declared shortly after lunch, setting the hosts an improbable target of 305 to win.
For the hosts it was going to be about survival against Ishant Sharma and Jasprit Bumrah’s threatening opening spells.
Jeremy Solozano (16) and Kavem Hodge (5) played out the first burst before Jadeja drew first blood.
Bumrah and Ashwin picked up a couple of quick wickets by the end of the hour as India’s bowlers once again put them in an advantageous position.
However, both captains shook hands at the tea break and settled for a draw with the hosts’ score reading 47/3.
India begin their two-Test match series on Thursday (August 22) against West Indies at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, North Sound in Antigua.
