The youngster duo of Prithvi Shaw and Shubhman Gill are expected to have a hard competition to fill the position of an opener in red-ball cricket for Team India against New Zealand in the upcoming Test series starting from Friday (Fri 21) at Basin Reserve in Hamilton.
Before the main event, both Prithvi and Shubhman got the opportunity to prove their worth in the 3-Day practice match against New Zealand XI started today. However, the pair failed to impress as they were out for a duck.
Speedster Scott Kuggeleijn got the wickets of both Shaw and Gill at Seddon Park on the first day of the practice game. After facing four balls, Shaw was dismissed in the opening over of India’s innings, Gill, on the other hand, came to bat at No.4 and was sent back to the pavilion on the very first ball he faced. Before Gill’s wicket, pacer Kuggeleijn also got Mayank Agarwal (1 off 13 balls), and India were 5-3 after 6.2 overs.
A few runs later, all-rounder James Neesham got Ajinkya Rahane’s wicket, and India were 38-4. However, then Hanuma Vihari and Cheteshwar Pujara took India out of the trouble. The duo added a 195-run stand for the sixth wicket to get their side back in the game. Vihari scored a gritty hundred before retiring on 101, Pujara, on the other hand, missed out from the triple-figure score as he went out on 93.
India all out for 263 in the practice game against New Zealand XI.
Vihari 101 retd, Pujara 93 pic.twitter.com/8h0uONqFpx
— BCCI (@BCCI) February 14, 2020
The last five batsmen could only add 24 runs as the visitors got all out for 263 in 78.5 overs. Leg-spinner Ish Sodhi dismantled the lower order and earned three wickets for 72 runs in 14.5 overs. Batting all-rounder Jake Gibson also joined the party and took two wickets for 26 in his ten overs.
