A four-day affair was clipped to a three-day match and even before a ball had been bowled, India's practice match against Essex was marred with controversy. However, when the tie finally came to a close, cricket-related issues will bother the Indian management more than the parched outfield at Chelmsford.
India batted first, the batting looked iffy against the seaming ball on a surface which did encourage the bowlers and both Shikhar Dhawan and Cheteshwar Pujara looked far from convincing, and the furrowed eyebrows in the Indian camp tightened.
However, the form and breeziness of KL Rahul and Dinesh Karthik added a sense of security and the consistency of Virat Kohli will bolster the morale of the team.
Bowling attack was not penetrative enough
And then when the side bowled, Ishant Sharma and Umesh Yadav looked sharp, if not menacing, Tom Westley looked assured against the Indian bowling attack and Essex made the visitors scurry around the ground for a good 94 overs before they declared the game.
A big box was not ticked off, an international bowling attack could not dismiss a county side, and bowled 94 overs in the process, there is plenty for the management to think and address before the first Test match.
Top-order woes ahead of first Test
Much like the first innings, Dhawan perished for another duck, Cheteshwar Pujara's wretched form in England continued, and back in the dressing room those furrowed eyebrows looked really hassled. Who will open the innings on August 1, who will bat at number 3?
When the play was called off one and half hours before the scheduled close, India reached 89 for two in 21.2 overs. Once again KL Rahul impressed, he scored 36 off 64 balls and has perhaps sealed the deal after he impressed in the first essay too with 58 in the first innings.
If current form is the criteria, Cheteshwar Pujara might miss out and KL Rahul could be slotted in the number three position. Also, Shikhar Dhawan and Murali Vijay might well walk out to open the innings.
Spinners did not bowl enough
The Indian spinners did not have much of an impact, although when R Ashwin did take the field on the final day, he put to bed the injury concerns to his finger. Kuldeep Yadav did not look threatening although the sample size was definitely small.
It could well have been a strategy, but the Indian spinners sent down only 11 overs in the 94 bowled during the Essex innings. Ravindra Jadeja did not bowl on the final day.
The pace bowling contingent got a good workout and even Hardik Pandya looked assured with the ball. Ishant Sharma (3-59), Shardul Thakur (1-58), and Mohammed Shami (0-68) looked good in patches. However, the biggest positive for India was the form of Umesh Yadav who picked up four wickets in 18 overs and always threatened the Essex batting.
There are questions revolving around the batting and spin bowling and there is a lot of chinks to addressed to before the first Test commences on August 1.
