Debasis Sen, Chelmsford: Opener Shikhar Dhawan will be the biggest concern for the visitors going into the test series opener against England starting next Wednesday at Edgbaston. Dhawan got a pair in the three-day practice match against Essex here in Chelmsford. India managed 89/2 when showers forced the play for an early end. KL Rahul once again played a solid knock on 36 not out while Rahane was batting on 19.
Essex added a further 14 runs after lunch before declaring on 359 for 8 with Aron Nijjar and Feroze Khushi ending with 29 not out and 14 not out respectively.
India managed to take a slender lead of 36 runs in first innings. Shikhar Dhawan was subjected to more misery as he was left reflecting on his second duck of the match.
There were just 4 runs on the board when Matt Quinn sent him on his way with a superb delivery that rattled his stumps.
Soon afterward, Lokesh Rahul should have joined him back in the pavilion. The opener had spent 22 balls getting off the mark and had made only 8 out of 32 when he was dropped by Matt Coles at second slip off the bowling of Shane Snater.
Cheteshwar Pujara dominated a second wicket having scored 23 runs (including 5 boundaries) of 36 runs when he put up a catch to Varun Chopra at short mid-wicket to give Paul Walter his fifth victim in the match.
Rahul and Ajinkya Rahane, however carried the total past 50 without further problems.
Paul Walter was the star of the morning session as Essex reached 345 for 8 in reply to the India first innings score of 395 all out at the County Ground.
The tall left-hander, who resumed the day on 22, went on to make 75 as he produced a number of powerful drives that included the first six of the match.
Umesh Yadav was the most successful bowler for the visitors returning with figures of 4/35 while Ishant Sharma too had a decent turnout with the county he played for. Ishant’s figures was 3/59.
The team will travel to Birmingham on Saturday to take part in the first test match which starts on August 01.