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Canberra: Virat Kohli struck a century and spinner R Ashwin captured four wickets but it was pace spearhead Zaheer Khan's form and fitness which turned out to be the main concern for the Indians on the second day of their warm-up game against CA Chairman's XI on Tuesday.
Kohli slammed 132 in a team total of 269 as his other batting colleagues, including captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni, failed to impress.
Rohit Sharma was the only substantial contributor with 47 as the Indian innings folded around half an hour before lunch at the Manuka Oval.
Off-spinner Ashwin continued his good form from where he had left at home against the West Indies as he picked up four wickets for 52 runs from his 14 overs to put brakes on the CA Chairman's XI side which was struggling at 214/7.
The home side rode on Test hopeful Ed Cowan's 109 made from 154 balls, inclusive of 16 fours, and were still trailing by 55 runs with three wickets in hand.
Tim Ludeman was batting on 15 when stumps were drawn early due to bad light.
For India though, the main cause of concern would be the form and fitness of senior pacer Zaheer Khan, who failed to impress in his return to the Indian squad after long injury lay-off.
The 33-year-old paceman bowled 10 overs in two spells and conceded 41 runs without ever looking like picking up a wicket. Worryingly, he did not stay put in the field and left for dressing room as soon as he was through with his spell on both occasions.
In all, Zaheer must not have spent more than an hour in the field. With the first Test starting next week, the team thinktank would surely now be worried if the proven left-arm seamer would be up for the pressure of standing up to the rigours of a five-day game.
Zaheer bowled six overs on the trot after lunch, conceding 29 runs, and bowled four more overs after tea. That was all when he was seen around in the park.
With the first Test now firmly in sight, India would be worried on the count of its frontline pacers. Ishant Sharma has not bowled either in the nets or in the middle but for five-odd overs and Zaheer has not been convincing either on form or fitness.
The home side would be similarly upset as all their Test regulars - David Warner (2), Usman Khawaja (25) and Phil Hughes (20) - failed to get going. It was left to Cowan to thump an attractive 109 and make the most of friendly conditions.
Kohli, unbeaten on 55 last night, continued in same vein and made 132 before becoming one of the five victims of left-arm spinner Jon Holland who claimed six for 70.
Impressive medium-fast bowler Peter George set the rot in by dismissing overnight batsman Rohit Sharma (47) on a mistimed hook at fine leg but not before the young Indian batsman had put on 101 runs for the fifth wicket with Kohli.
Holland then took over, dismissing Dhoni, Ashwin (4), Kohli, Zaheer (0) and Abhimanyu Mithun (0) for morning figures of five for 33 from 9.1 overs.
The 25-year-old cricketer from Victoria visited India with the Australian squad last year but did not play in any scheduled seven ODIs. A naturally attacking spinner, Holland relied on his subtle change in pace besides on sharply turning deliveries to account for his success.
The centrestage though firmly belonged to Kohli who struck 18 fours and two sixes for his 132 runs from 171 balls.
Kohli was in no trouble against all-comers from the home side attack and even hit Holland for two sixes down the ground before the left-arm spinner had his revenge. He lost little time in reaching the three-figure mark even as wickets kept falling at the other end.
The Delhi batsman, who has played four Tests against the West Indies and scored 191 runs at an average of 27.28, was touted to face stiff challenge from Rohit Sharma who has been in outstanding touch in recent times.
But it seems today's innings has more or less secured Kohli's berth in the Indian middle order in the first Test beginning in Melbourne on December 26.
The home side began on the wrong foot when Abhimanyu Mithun dismissed captain David Warner in the very first over by clean bowling him for two.
Ed Cowan and Usman Khawaja added 76 runs for the second wicket before the latter edged a catch off Umesh Yadav to wicketkeeper Dhoni.
Phil Hughes made all his 20 runs in boundaries before he made an ugly attempt at sweep off Ashwin and lobbed a catch at short square leg area.
Hughes' cheap dismissal, even though he got all his runs in boundaries, means that he would almost certainly be left of the Australian squad for the first Test.
Cowan, on the other hand, was impressive during his knock of 109 from 154 balls with 16 fours.
Brief scores
Indians 269 (Kohli 132, Holland 6-70)
Cricket Australia Chairman's XI 7 for 214 (Cowan 109, Ashwin 4-52)
Status CA Chairman's XI trail by 55 runs
