India A vs West Indies A: Bhargav Bhatt and Abhishek Nayar keep India A in the hunt
There was not much to pick between the two sides as India A came back from behind twice, first through Bhargav Bhatt and then through the fourth-wicket partnership between Vasudevan Jagadeesh and Abhishek Nayar, to end Day Two of the second unofficial Test match on 191/3 at the Jawaharlal Nehru National College of Engineering Ground, Shimoga.
Resuming the day on 283/6, West Indies A kept the Indian bowlers at bay until the fall of Leon Johnson to Bhargav Bhatt, for a 131-ball 91, which triggered the collapse as the left-arm spinner added three more to his tally to restrict the visitors to 406.
Nikita Miller, who was involved in a 97-run partnership for the seventh wicket with Johnson, remained unbeaten on 64 as Bhatt picked up a seven-wicket haul for India A.
In reply, with the score at 114/3 and all of Gautam Gambhir (11), Cheteshwar Pujara (25) and Virender Sehwag (7) back in the hut, India A were venturing towards yet another meek surrender with the bat, in follow-up to the surprisingly unsatisfactory performances in their earlier face-offs, till they found an unlikely hand from Vasudevan Jagadeesh and Abhishek Nayar.
The pair put together an unbeaten 77-run partnership for the fourth wicket to save the face and take their team to 191/3 at the end of the day.
Jagadeesh played a patient knock of 79 off 172 balls while Nayar took the West Indian bowlers to cleaners with a fast-paced 38-ball 56.