A warm-up game with a serious tone and a decent turnout, witnessed India extend its winning run upon Australian shores. Against the Prime Minister’s XI at the Manuka Oval here on Sunday, Rohit Sharma’s men registered an easy victory. Pursuing the host’s 240, India finished with 257 for five as every ounce of batting practice was extracted.

During the chase, K.L. Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal stepped out as openers. Rahul was steady, Jaiswal was aggressive. The former drove with elan, the latter squirted a few edges over slips. While Scott Boland felt the heat of Rahul’s willow, Jack Nisbet found Jaiswal giving him the charge.

As night descended, Rahul preferred his runs down the turf while Jaiswal picked his spots square off the pitch. The pink ball was dealt with adequately before the latter holed out in the deep. India 75 for one and hope was gleaned from Shubman Gill returning to the crease after recovering from a left thumb injury.

With Rahul retiring on 27 and Rohit striding out, India had two batters wending their way back into the big picture ahead of next week’s Adelaide Test. Rohit seemed patient until he fell on a loose drive outside the off-stump. The Indian fans expected Virat Kohli, who like Jasprit Bumrah, skipped the game. Instead, Nitish Kumar walked towards the crease and instantly flourished.

Meanwhile, Gill looked at ease with a rasping pull for four off Hanno Jacobs. Spinner Lloyd Pope and seamer Aidan O’Connor were toyed with and then Gill retired after his 50. Nitish fell too but there were no alarms as Washington Sundar shepherded India towards the winning post with Ravindra Jadeja lending a hand till the cusp of a triumph.

Earlier in the afternoon, the skies were a deep blue even if the odd dark cloud threatened to replicate Saturday’s rains. Rohit won the toss, elected to field and though it was a 50-overs-per-side fixture, this was more of a distilled version of Test cricket as players turned out in whites, there were no fielding restrictions and a packed slip cordon was on view as Mohammed Siraj and Akash Deep steamed in.

Opener Sam Konstas, aged 19, was a lively presence while his senior partner Matt Renshaw and Jayden Goodwin edged and departed on either side of a brief rain break which reduced the contest to a 46-overs-per-side affair. Konstas drove, flicked and lived on the edge while scooping deliveries behind the wicket and past the ropes. He found an ally in southpaw Jack Clayton (40), and the two added 109 runs for the third wicket.

A six off Harshit Rana ushered Konstas towards his 50 but the seamer grabbed four wickets in a quick burst. The host slumped to 133 for six and Konstas and Jacobs (61), down the order, chipped in some runs. Konstas (107) got to his ton and retreated to the pavilion. Soon the stage was set for India’s chase under lights, a task that was handled reasonably well.Scoreboard

Prime Minister’s XI: Sam Konstas c Easwaran b Akash 107 (97b, 14×4, 1×6), Matt Renshaw c Padikkal b Siraj 5 (20b), Jayden Goodwin c Pant b Akash 4 (4b, 1×4), Jack Clayton b Harshit 40 (52b, 6×6), Oliver Davies b Harshit 0 (2b), Jack Edwards c Prasidh b Harshit 1 (6b), Sam Harper c Prasidh b Harshit 0 (2b), Aidan O’Connor c Nitish b Prasidh 4 (4b), Hanno Jacobs c Jadeja b Washington 61 (60b, 4×4, 2×6), Jack Nisbet c Washington b Jadeja 11 (16b), Charlie Anderson (not out) 0 (1b). Extras (b-1, lb-2, nb-4): 7

Total (all out in 43.2 overs): 240.

Fall of wickets: 1-12 (Renshaw, 4.5 overs), 2-22 (Goodwin, 5.5), 3-131 (Clayton, 22.4), 4-131 (Davies, 22.6), 5-133 (Edwards, 24.1), 6-133 (Harper, 24.3), 7-138 (O’Connor, 25.3), 8-205 (Konstas, 37.6), 9-236 (Nisbet, 42.5).

India bowling: Siraj 7-1-18-1, Akash 10-0-58-2, Harshit 6-0-44-0, Prasidh 6-0-37-1, Washington 6.2-0-38-1, Nitish 3-0-10-0, Jadeja 5-0-32-1.

India: Yashasvi Jaiswal c Clayton b Anderson 45 (59b, 9×4), K.L. Rahul (retired) 27 (44b, 4×4), Shubman Gill (retired) 50 (62b, 7×4), Rohit Sharma c Davies b Anderson 3 (11b), Nitish Kumar b Pope 42 (32b, 5×4, 1×6), Washington Sundar (not out) 42 (36b, 5×4), Ravindra Jadeja c & b Renshaw 27 (31b, 3×4), Sarfaraz Khan c Harper b Clayton 1 (4b), Devdutt Padikkal (not out) 4 (7b). Extras (b-4, lb-1, w-1, nb-9, w-1): 15

Total (for five wkts., in 46 overs): 257.

Fall of wickets: 1-75 (Jaiswal, 16.3), 2-90 (Rohit, 20.3), 3-182 (Nitish, 33.1), 4-219 (Jadeja, 40.6), 5-245 (Sarfaraz, 43.3).

Prime Minister’s XI bowling: Boland 10-2-36-0, Nisbet 6-1-32-0, Beardman 5-0-25-0, Anderson 6-1-30-2, Jacobs 4-0-27-0, Pope 6-0-47-1, O’Connor 4-0-31-0, Renshaw 3-0-13-1, Clayton 2-0-11-1.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in a group picture with the Indian National cricket team, ahead of the friendly match against PM’s XI team at Manuka Oval.
| Photo Credit: ANI

A feathery rain wrapped the Manuka Oval in a moist blanket in Canberra on Friday (November 29, 2024). In Australia’s capital, past leafy roads, across a red-brick vintage church, with an old battle tank nearby, the cricketing venue geared up for the two-day warm-up fixture pitting the visiting Indians against the Prime Minister’s XI.

The damp weather was laidback enough to allow Rohit Sharma’s men train ahead of their weekend game. Some fans besides the media had access to the nets, which were located outside the venue and close to the road. “Bagunnara? (all good?),” asked an eager lady in Telugu to Nitish Kumar, who replied in the affirmative.

There was an ease to the practice sessions but there was no mistaking the focus. The spotlight was on two individuals: Rohit and Shubman Gill. Returning after a paternity break and participating in his second nets of the tour, Rohit seemed fine. The bat moved in sync as the pink ball thudded into the willow.

Meanwhile, Gill, recovering from a left thumb injury, warmed up against gentle throw-downs before the pace was increased and he shifted to the conventional stage and squared up against spin and seam. He looked in good shape and more clarity on his fitness should emerge if he plays here on Saturday and Sunday. All the other members ranging from Virat Kohli to Harshit Rana, also went through their drills.

Leading the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series at 1-0 following the 295-run victory at Perth, India is on the ascendant. And the game here should help the unit to offer a match-feel to all its members who will take turns to play. In these days of packed schedules, a contest like this is a rare indulgence but it will serve India well as the day-and-night outing will be a dress rehearsal for the second Test at Adelaide under lights.

There is a forecast for rain but hopefully both teams will get enough time to play well. For India, it is about one more routine to check if all the cogs are working well, while for the rival, the face-off offers another chance to both established stars like Scott Boland and Matt Renshaw, and under-19 heroes.

Led by Jack Edwards, the Prime Minister’s XI has an onerous task ahead but coach Tim Paine felt that his wards have it in them to compete. “There is a belief that Australia lacks depth but it is false, there is enough talent out here,” he said. The former Australian captain, however, added that playing against Jasprit Bumrah will not be easy. Sipping a hot beverage, Paine left in a car, just as the Indians trooped in.

In a pastoral setting, fringed by old trees, and the odd rabbit hopping around, India will get down to the business of extending its good form on Australian shores. During a long tour, every step matters. And this joust at a quaint ground is no exception.

The teams (from).

India: Rohit Sharma (captain) Jasprit Bumrah (vice-captain), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Devdutt Padikkal, Shubman Gill, K.L. Rahul, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Sarfaraz Khan, Rishabh Pant (wicket-keeper), Dhruv Jurel (wicket-keeper), R. Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, Mohammed Siraj, Nitish Reddy, Akash Deep, Prasidh Krishna and Harshit Rana.

Australia Prime Minister’s XI: Jack Edwards (captain), Charlie Anderson, Mahli Beardman, Scott Boland, Jack Clayton, Aidan O’Connor, Ollie Davies, Jayden Goodwin, Sam Harper, Hanno Jacobs, Sam Konstas, Lloyd Pope, Matt Renshaw and Jem Ryan.

Play starts at 9.10 a.m., IST.