India A vs West Indies A: Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir fail on Day 2, as it happened

A star-studded India A batting reply to West Indies As' first innings score of 406. Catch all the updates from Day 2 of the second unofficial Test at Shimoga, Karnataka:

 

So VA Jagadeesh and Abhishek Nayar come out as India A saviours on a day when the likes of Gautam Gambhir (11), Virender Sehwag (7) and Cheteshwar Pujara (25) were troubled by the West Indian left-arm spinners. Jagadeesh and Nayar added an enterprising 77-run partnership for the fourth wicket in 90 balls. Left-arm spinners Veeraswamy Permaul (2 for 60) and Nikita Miller (1 for 43) shone for the visitors.

At stumps: India are 191/3 in 58 overs, trail West Indies A 406 by 215 runs. VA Jagadeesh 79* and Abhishek Nayar 56* keep West Indian bowlers at bay in last stages of the final session. Nayar's 56 of 38 balls is his 22nd first class fifty.

After 49 overs: India A 143/3. Abhishek Nayar seems to mean business straightaway. The Mumbai left-hander has hit two fours and a six in his 13-ball 22 so far. VA Jagadeesh holding one end up at 66*.

After 43 overs: India A 114/3 and in some trouble. Virender Sehwag, who came out to bat at number four is the latest to be dismissed for just 7. Veeraswamy Permaul got rid of Sehwag, when the attacking right hander was stumped by wicket-keeper Chadwick Walton. Cheteshwar Pujara, who was looking good for a long stay at the crease, fell to Nikita Miller for a 90-ball 25. Pujara and Jagadeesh added 60 for the second wicket. Jagadeesh is unbeaten on 59.

After 37 overs: India A 101/1. VA Jagadeesh (53*) reaches his 12th first-class half-century. Cheteshwar Pujara is going steady with 25*. The two have shared a 57-run partnership for the second wicket.

After 29 overs: India A 81/1. Jagadeesh 40*, Pujara 19*. The two have scored 11 runs since tea interval.

 

At tea: India A are 70 for 1 after 23 overs, trailing the Windies by 336 runs. VA Jagadeesh 38* and Cheteshwar Pujara 10* at crease. Veeraswamy Permaul, the lone wicket-taker, has figures of 1 for 20 in 8 overs so far.

After 15 overs: India A are 50 for 1. Gautam Gambhir is first to get out, caught by Fidel Edwards off Veeraswamy Permaul for 11. Gambhir batted for 70 minutes, faced 44 balls and hit a four in his knock. VA Jagadeesh 28* is joined by skipper Cheteshwar Pujara 1*. Indians trail by 356.

After 10 overs: Jagadeesh (21* off 34) and Gambhir (4* off 35) steady so far. India A 35 for no loss. Fidel Edwards has been expensive, giving away 30 runs in his 4 overs. The West Indian pacer has been hit for three fours by right-handed Jagadeesh.

 

After 5 overs: India A 14 for no loss, in reply to West Indies A 406 all out. Jagadeesh 13*, Gambhir 1*.

 

Latest news from the venue is Virender Sehwag is not opening the batting. In fact, it is right-handed Vasudevan Arundhadi Jagadeesh, who is opening the batting with Gautam Gambhir.

Tea report

India A lost the wicket of Gautam Gambhir as they reached 70 for 1 at tea against West Indies A on Day 2 of the second unofficial Test at Shimoga, Karnataka today.

Replying to the visitors' 406 all out, India A lost Gambhir for 11 even as Virender Sehwag did not come out to open the batting with his Delhi teammate. Kerala batsman VA Jagadeesh is going strong at 38 not out and giving him company is skipper Cheteshwar Pujara with 10.

West Indies left-arm spinner Veerasawamy Permaul accounted for Gambhir, when the left hander was caught by Fidel Edwards. Gambhir looked far from comfortable at the crease, as he batted for 70 minutes, faced 44 balls and hit a solitary four in his knock.

Jagadeesh on the other hand was more at ease, in his 77-ball knock backed with 5 fours. Pujara has hit one four in his 26-ball knock so far.

Earlier, the Caribbean side was all out for 406 at the stroke of tea with Baroda spinner Bhargav Bhatt taking seven wickets and left-handed Leon Johnson top scoring with 91.

Brief Scores: India A 70/1 in 23 overs (VA Jagadeesh 38*, Gautam Gambhir 11, Cheteshwar Pujara 10*; Veeraswamy Permaul 1/20) vs West Indies A 406 all out.

 

Lunch Report

West Indies A lower order posed a stiff resistance to India A bowlers before the innings folded for 406 at the stroke of lunch on day two of the second unofficial Test at Shimoga, Karnataka today.

Starting the day at an overnight score of 283 for 6, the visiting side added 123 runs and lost their final four wickets in the first session of play at the Jawaharlal Nehru National College of Engineering Ground. India A and Baroda left-arm spinner Bhargav Bhatt was the wrecker-in-chief, picking up seven wickets for 113.

Zaheer Khan finished with figures of 1 for 66 in 20 overs with 5 maidens. Jammu and Kashmir off-spinner Parvez Rasool finished with figures of 1 for 80 in his 33 overs.

Nikita Miller once again proved his worth with the bat, scoring an unbeaten 64, while left-handed number six batsman Leon Johnson ended up top scoring with 91. He added 55 runs to his overnight score of 36 not out before falling to Bhatt.

Johnson and Miller added 97 runs for the seventh wicket to frustrate the Indian bowlers. Johnson hit as many as 16 fours in his knock, while Miller smashed eight fours in his steady 95-ball knock. Bhatt ran through the tail-end as the visitors lost their final four wickets for 26  runs.

It will be interesting to see how the Cheteshwar Pujara-led India A side reply to the first innings score. Gautam Gambhir is expected to open the batting with Virender Sehwag. Pujara, Mohd Kaif, Abhishek Nayar and VA Jagadeesh make the India A top six.

Brief Scores: West Indies A 406 all out in 121.5 overs (Leon Johnson 91, Kraigg Brathwaite 82, Nikita Miller 64 not out, Assad Fudadin 63; Bhargav Bhatt 7/113, Zaheer Khan 1/66)