India batsmen fire in final tour game

Murali Vijay and Virat Kohli loom large as the key scalps Australia will target in the upcoming four-Test series against India.

Vijay and Kohli both retired on the final day of their hastily-arranged tour game against a Cricket Australia XI at Adelaide’s Glenelg Oval, which ended in a draw on Friday.

India amassed a total of 375 in response to the hosts’ 243, with Vijay (60) and Kohli (66) both ending their knocks in the morning session on day two.

Ajinkya Rahane (56) also retired, gaining valuable time in the middle alongside Rohit Sharma (48) and Wriddhiman Saha (51).

Ishant Sharma’s marvellous spell in Friday’s final session featured the scalps of Alex Keath and Matthew Short, with the CA XI finishing 5-83 when stumps were drawn.

The make-up of India’s pace attack for the first Test remains unclear, with quicks Sharma, Varun Aaron, Mohammed Shami, Umesh Yadav and Bhuvneshwar Kumar all impressing at various points over the past fortnight.

Legspinner Karn Sharma, who dismissed Jake Doran on Friday, could make his Test debut but offspinner Ravichandran Ashwin is expected to be preferred.

Their batting order is more settled.

Vijay and Kohli shared a 123-run stand, steadying India’s innings after the visitors slumped to 2-36 on day one.

In the corresponding fixture at the same venue last week, the opener and No.4 batsman also looked a class above most of their teammates.

Injured India captain MS Dhoni was expected to arrive on Friday morning, however he is now due on Saturday.

An India spokesperson said it was too early to say what Dhoni’s chances of playing the first Test are, but the wicketkeeper is expected to miss the game.

India’s tour game at Adelaide Oval last week was cancelled following the shock death of Phillip Hughes.

They were slated to fly to Brisbane last Monday, but cancelled the trip as the series was being rescheduled.

“We’re both in the same boat (far from ideal preparation),” Australia coach Darren Lehmann said on Friday.

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