India A vs Australia A: Abhinav Mukund Still Confident of Victory

India A may have failed to grab the opportunities on Day 3, but opener Abhinav Mukund still believes that the hosts can pull off a win if their lower-order batsmen and bowlers make it count against Australia A in the second unofficial 'Test' here on Saturday.

After conceding a 214-run lead, the Indian top-order faltered to convert good starts into big scores as the hosts finished the day on 267 for six, a second-innings lead of 53.

Mukund (59) still believes that the Cheteshwar Pujara-led side can turn the tables on the final day.

"Couple of batsmen playing in the middle are actually good proper middle-order batsmen. Hopefully we get a sizable lead tomorrow and look to roll them out," Mukund said in the post-day chat.

"Whatever we get. At the end of the end of the day, we have four wickets. These two (Baba Aparajith 28 not out and Shreyas Gopal 0 not out) are really good batsmen.  Both of them have very good first class scores.  Hopefully, these two bat for a while tomorrow morning. Any score is difficult in the fourth innings. If we get anything about 150, it is going to be a tough chase. Trust me," he added.

Stitching a 70-run fourth-wicket partnership with Shreyas Iyer (49), Mukund was looking good before an Ashton Agar turner got him back in the pavilion. The left-handed batsman praised the opposition spin ploy.

"I thought I was quite well set and did not expect the ball to bounce as much.  I thought Ashton Agar got more bounce than Stephen O'Keefe.  It was a little harder to play.  I usually tend to sweep the ball a bit more but because of the bounce I was not able to do that. I was just looking to rotate the strike," he said.

Mukund survived close LBW call before he finally edged an Agar turner to Cameron Bancroft. There was a bit of verbal duel between the opener and the Australians, which Mukund brushed it off as an on-field chat.

"Nothing big actually. That was about close lbw call. Usually they talk and I would like to talk back. It was just a conversation regarding the umpire and all that. I just said I am honest, I would have walked if I actually had hit it. After I got out, I stayed back and asked him whether he caught it," he said.

Even after letting go their good enough starts, Mukund said that everybody stuck to their natural game.

"Everyone played their natural game and it is important for people to play their natural game. I generally cannot comment as to how the other people can go about it. All I can tell you that personally I look to play the way I would like to play. I thought the game plan worked out well for me," he said.

Mukund, who has been the top-score in the innings so far, registered a gritty 23rd first-class fifty and also spent a considerable amount of time with Indian test captain Virat Kohli (45) in the middle -- the two shared a 63-run second-wicket partnership. And the opener opines that the star batsman has matured as a player.

"To be honest, I do not know what to answer.  How can I comment on someone's personality. May be he gotten a bit mature now. He knows that he is the Test captain," said Mukund when asked to observe the change in Kohli after being appointed captain.

Meanwhile Khawaja credited the Indian batsmen, but still believes that the tie is titled in their favour.

"They have 53 runs lead. Probably we did not bowl well in the middle session but credit to the Indian side as they put lot of pressure on us. But, I still think we are doing very well at the moment and we have good first session tomorrow. Hopefully chase these runs down and win the game. It is pretty simple from our point of view," Khawaja said.

On his opinion regarding the positive intent of Indis A batsmen, Khawaja said, "There was intent at times and it was a very up and down innings. But they showed lot of intent in the first game. I think in terms of batting performance, Indians played well. At the same time, we did not bowl very well, they are lucky. I think today's day pretty even."

On use of spinners for most part of the game today, Khawaja said, "It has been good. I am not used to use many spinners. Using pace bowlers is always first for us in Australia. But, we played India enough times and you know what is coming in to. As long as you set a field and bowl to it, the wicket does enough for you in India. It is a different mindset to bowling here. Once we get used to that it is all fun."