Pant, Vihari hit centuries as Indians pile on runs

Adelaide : Indian batsmen piled runs in the second innings of the day-night warm-up game against Australia A at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) with Rishabh Pant and Hanuma Vihari scoring hundreds and Shubman Gill and Mayank Agarwal hitting half-centuries during the second day's play. India closed the day at 386 for four with a lead of 472 runs as the Aussie attack, that included Test leg-spinner Mitchell Swepson, came under the cosh.

Pant smashed 103 off 73 balls with six sixes and nine fours while Vihari made 104 off 194 deliveries with 13 fours. Pant scored 22 runs off the last five balls of the day to race to his hundred. He was on 81 when the final over began.

India were bowled out for 194 in the first innings but responded well to dismiss the Aussie A side for 108 as 20 wickets fell on the first day on Friday.

Prithvi Shaw was dismissed early off the bowling Mark Steketee in the second innings on Saturday. Shaw drove uppishly and was caught at cover-point with the team score on four.

However, both Agarwal and no.3 Shubman Gill then added 104 for the second wicket to grab the early initiative. The right-handed Gill was particularly impressive early on as he scored at a pace common in One-day Internationals, going at a run-a-ball and bringing up his half-century off just 49 balls. Gill played the cover drive well and also attacked the short deliveries.

Gill (65) was quietened towards the end of his innings before Swepson snared him with a leg-break that got the edge of his bat and was caught well by Sean Abbott, who bowled just seven overs in the day as the Aussie team management sought to rest him ahead of the Test series.

Agarwal, who had survived a chance, added 53 with Vihari for the third wicket before getting caught in the deep for a very patient 61.

Captain Ajinkya Rahane made 38 but it was after his dismissal that the Indians again turned it on with Pant clobbering two fours and two sixes in his first 30 runs. Pant reached his half-century in 43 balls, with four sixes. He then raced to his 100 in 73 balls even as Vihari worked his way to his ton in 188 deliveries.