India vs New Zealand XI Warm-up: Vihari 101 retd, Pujara 93, India 263 all out

Catch all the highlights, updates, commentary and analysis from the warm-up match between India and New Zealand XI played at Seddon Park, Hamilton.

Hanuma Vihari raises his bat after reaching his century.

Hello and welcome to Sportstar's LIVE coverage of the warm-up match between India and New Zealand XI.  This is V.S. Aravind and I will take you through the day's play as action unfolds at Seddon Park, Hamilton.

• Thank you for joining us and that's all for today. Do join us tomorrow at 03:30 AM IST for Day two of the warm-up match. Till then, adios!
• And it's Stumps on Day one. Well the day belonged to Cheteshwar Pujara and Hanuma Vihari who batted brilliantly and saved India from the blushes. While Vihari retired after reaching his century, Pujara fell short of his ton by seven runs. Prithvi Shaw, Shubman Gill, Mayank Agarwal, Rishabh Pant and Wriddhiman Saha failed with the bat. An opportunity lost to make a statement in testing New Zealand conditions.
• India all out for 263 (78.5 overs). Vihari 101 retired, Pujara 93 were the top performers.
• WICKET - Ravindra Jadeja departs after making just eight runs and it's Ish Sodhi who removes the all-rounder.
• WICKET - Wriddhiman Saha departs and he is also out for a duck. India 260/8
• Double Blow for India: Disappointing from Rishabh Pant as he falls for just seven and R Ashwin follows him with a duck. India 246/7
• Vihari warms up with a brilliant century but Pujara misses out as he is dismissed for 93. Vihari has retired after scoring an unbeaten 101 off 182 balls. Wriddhiman Saha and Rishabh Pant out there in the middle. India 246/5
• Both Vihari and Pujara have entered the nineties and the partnership is worth 195 runs off 344 balls.
• Vihari has upped the ante as he has raced to 85 with the help of eight boundaries and three sixes. Pujara meanwhile is batting on 88. His knock is laced with 11 boundaries and a six. India 218/4
• The runs are coming freely now and the run rate since the last 10 overs has been around 6.10. Pujara gunning for a century.
• The 150-run partnership is up between Pujara and Vihari. They have consolidated India's position and what a fine recovery this has been. India 191/4
• Fifty for Vihari - Hanuma Vihari reaches his fifty and what a sublime knock this has been. Patience and application was the key and he has come out really good. Top knock under pressure. India 178/4

Cheteshwar Pujara warmed up for the Test series with a brilliant 93 against New Zealand XI on Friday.

 

• It's Tea and India has done well to recover after being reduced for 4/38. Thanks to the unbroken stand of 96 between Pujara and Vihari. While Pujara has reached his fifty, Vihari is batting on 39. India 134/4
• Fifty for Pujara - Excellent from the rock of the Indian batting. Came in when the chips were down, was prepared to bide his time and did exactly what he keeps doing time and again. Pujara in form will ease nerves in the dressing room. Composed knock and he will go for a big one. India 134/4 after 53 overs.
• Cheteshwar Pujara and Hanuma Vihari have forged an unbroken 88-run stand off 218 deliveries. Pujara one short of fifty. India 126/4 after 50.5 overs
• Cheteshwar Pujara is nearing his fifty and Hanuma Vihari into the thirties. While Pujara has played 139 deliveries, Vihari has consumed 108 balls. They have got their eye in and most importantly, India hasn't lost a wicket. India 114/4 after 48 overs.
• India's run rate is a worry as the just 24 runs have come in the last 10 overs. Currently they are going at 2.40 runs per over. But the good thing is Pujara and Vihari have steadied the ship.
• Fifty-run Partnership: Cheteshwar Pujara and Hanuma Vihari have forged a fifty-run partnership. Crucial from India's point of view after an early collapse.

Cheteshwar Pujara and Hanuma Vihari forged a century stand and resurrected India's innings after an early collapse.

 

• An unbeaten 29-run partnership has kept India on the move. Pujara looking good.
• Cheteshwar Pujara is looking in good touch and India's 50 is up.
• WICKET - Jimmy Neesham strikes and he removes India vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane. India in  doldrums.
• Cheteshwar pujara and Ajinkya Rahane forge hands and they have a recovery job to do.
• WICKET - Scott Kuggeleijn is on fire as he removes Mayank Agarwal and then gets in-form Shubman Gill for a duck. India in trouble at 5/3
• Both Pujara and Mayank are off the mark. India 3/1
• Cheteshwar Pujara joins Mayank Agarwal.
• WICKET - Scott Kuggeleijn strikes to remove Prithvi Shaw for a duck.
• Toss Update: India chose to bat first. Prithvi Shaw and Mayank Agarwal are out there in the middle.

Prithvi Shaw and Mayank Agarwal wait for play to start.

 

• Good morning viewers... Early start to the day and we will bring you the toss and other updates shortly.

India: Prithvi Shaw, Mayank Agarwal, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli(c), Ajinkya Rahane, Wriddhiman Saha(w), Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, Umesh Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah, Shubman Gill, Hanuma Vihari, Rishabh Pant, Navdeep Saini

New Zealand XI: Henry Cooper, Will Young, Rachin Ravindra, Tim Seifert, Tom Bruce, Daryl Mitchell(c), Dane Cleaver(w), James Neesham, Finn Allen, Scott Kuggeleijn, Ish Sodhi, Blair Tickner

The Preview

Opening gambit in focus as India takes on New Zealand XI in warm-up game

Clarity on the opening combination, a call on whether Ravichandran Ashwin’s variations can trump Ravindra Jadeja’s all-round skill-sets will be the focus for India in their three-day warm-up game against New Zealand XI starting here on Friday.

After the harsh reality check of 0-3 drubbing in the just-concluded ODI series, a red-ball warm-up game will be the most welcome distraction for Virat Kohli and his men as a precursor to the two-match Test series starting next week.

India could not have asked for a better practice game as the opposition team is full of New Zealand senior and A team players, including leg-spinner Ish Sodhi, all-rounder Jimmy Neesham and wicket-keeper Tim Seifert, in its ranks.

The inclusion of first-team white ball pacers Scott Kuggeliejn and Blair Tickner will be the kind of test which both Prithvi Shaw and Shubman Gill will relish as they make a case for their inclusion in the playing XI for the first Test starting in Wellington on February 21.

Shubman will be itching to show his skipper that he is ready for the big debut which is eagerly anticipated among his growing legion of fans, despite his international career being two-match old.

India:  Virat Kohli (captain), Mayank Agarwal, Prithvi Shaw, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane (vc), Wriddhiman Saha (wk), Hanuma Vihari,  Ravindra Jadeja,  Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, Umesh Yadav,  Ravichandran Ashwin,  Rishabh Pant, Navdeep Saini, Shubman Gill.

New Zealand XI:  Daryl Mitchell (captain), Finn Allen, Tom Bruce, Dane Cleaver, Henry Cooper, Scott Kuggeleijn, James Neesham, Rachin Ravindra, Tim Seifert, Ish Sodhi, Blair Tickner, Will Young. 13th men: Jake Gibson (Friday) and Scott Johnston (Saturday and Sunday)

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Shubman Gill: There is no fight for spot with Prithvi Saw

Promising India batsman Shubman Gill insists he is not competing with fellow young gun Prithvi Shaw for the opener’s slot in the first Test against New Zealand but if he does get the opportunity, he will not 'let it go waste'.

With a double hundred and a century against New Zealand ‘A’ here, Gill has made everyone take notice despite Shaw being firmly back in the mix for the upcoming two-match series starting in Wellington from February 21.

“Obviously, our careers started at the same time but there is no fight as such,” Gill said on Thursday when asked about his take on his competition with the former India U-19 captain.

Both Gill and Shaw are 20 and considered the stars of the future after a splendid runs in age-group cricket.