India vs Leicestershire Highlights: The 28-year-old, KS Bharat, from Andhra Pradesh showed outstanding performance with his bat, scoring some big runs for India and helping the team to reach a safe spot against Leicestershire being played at Upstonsteel Cricket Ground on Thursday.
In the 4-day warm-up match, the top-order batsmen’s dismal performance on day 1 would be a disappointing start in the tour. India won the toss and elected to bat first.
After the team had lost early wickets, it was Bharat’s exceptional 70 (not out) off 111 balls which brought a great respite for the India team. The dire need for a lower-order batsman like Bharat to score some big runs occurred due to Leicestershire’s bowler, Roman Walker, who took five wickets in the 11 overs of his day’s complete spell.
The match paved the way in making all the players to get warmed up for the upcoming challenging games against England with Cheteshwar Pujara, Rishabh Pant, Jasprit Bumrah, and Prasidh Krishna joining Leicestershire. Much before Bumrah got into the work, the India team lost five wickets for 81 runs.
The opening pair, Rohit Sharma and Shubham Gill didn’t ensure a big start. The opening partnership conceded just 35 runs after Gill was caught by Pant behind for a low score of 21 runs off 28 balls. It was a back-to-back lottery for Walker who started with Rohit Sharma, who took the pavilion route by scoring 25 runs off 47 balls, immediately after Gill’s dismissal.
Hanuma Vihari scored only three runs. As Shreyas Iyer went for a golden duck, Ravindra Jadeja walked off the crease by scoring just 13 runs off 13 balls. Meanwhile, the former skipper, Virat Kohli, made a stable approach by adding 33-runs to the scoreboard.
Bharat’s surprising batting knocks brought some pressure against the opponents. The wicket-keeper batter’s fluent innings involved in a 57-run partnership with Virat Kohli.
Walker achieved a five-wicket haul after Kohli and Shardul Thakur were dismissed in quick succession. He found valuable support from the bowlers like Umesh Yadav (23) and Mohammed Shami (18) with the latter remaining not out. At the 61st over the stumps were called off as rain forced an early end. Mohammad Siraj is yet to bat.
