Kohli, Iyer and Jadeja hit fifties on third day

LEICESTER: Virat Kohli got valuable batting time in the middle as he hit an impressive 67 off 98 balls batting at No 7 while Shreyas Iyer (62) and Ravindra Jadeja (56*) also got ample batting practice on the third day of their practice game in Leicester ahead of the fifth Test against England. India were 364/7 in the second innings on the penultimate day of the warm-up match at Grace Road on Saturday. Kohli, who has endured a prolonged lean patch, hit five fours and two sixes. He was supported by Iyer, who faced 89 balls and hit 11 fours. Allrounder Jadeja struck 10 fours in his unbeaten knock.

Cheteshwar Pujara could manage only 22 off 53 balls with three fours. Pujara batted for both sides in a fixture where India have looked more to acclimatise. He was out for a duck in the first innings batting for Leicestershire.

Jadeja was also out for a duck off Navdeep Saini early in the Indian second innings but came back later to bat again. At stumps, Mohammed Siraj was giving Jadeja company. Pacer Navdeep Saini (3/55), one of the four Indian players to turn out for Leicestershire, took three wickets.

Young pacer Kamlesh Nagarkoti (2/48) chipped in with two wickets while R Sai Kishore (1/55) and Will Davis (1/40) took a wicket each. The visiting Indians lead Leicestershire by 366 runs with a day’s play left.

Earlier, Saini, who picked up Shubman Gill’s wicket on the second day, dismissed well-set Srikar Bharat (43 off 98) and Jadeja (0) in a span of three deliveries to reduce India to 118/4.

Hanuma Vihari (20) was the first to depart, after adding just 11 runs to his overnight score, dismissed by Will Davis.

Saini struck twice 17 runs later, removing Bharat and Jadeja. Nagakoti then accounted for Iyer and Shardul Thakur (28 off 38) in a span of seven overs. The Test, to be played at Edgbaston, Birmingham starts on July 1.

Brief scores: India 246/8d and 364/9 (V Kohli 67, S Iyer 62, R Jadeja 56*). Leicestershire 244 at stumps on Day 3.