Live Scorecard
Virender Sehwag failed to get going in his first game of the tour, but Abhinav Mukund impressed with an unbeaten century to propel India to 220 for three at tea on day one of their two-day warm-up match against Northamptonshire, here today.
The left-handed Mukund, under immense pressure to hold on to his place, was unbeaten on 113 at the tea interval, and it was his 132-run third-wicket stand with VVS Laxman (49), which propped up the visitors after the early departure of openers Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir.
Suresh Raina was giving Mukund company on 20.
Mukund, who has aggregated a mere 64 runs from four innings in the first two Tests, is almost certain to lose his slot to Sehwag, even though the latter made only eight runs in the morning.
Sehwag batted for just 30 minutes in the Indian innings, before he was adjudged lbw to fast bowler David Burton, who has not represented Northants in a first-class match since September 2010.
Mukund's innings, however, is good news for the Indians as Suesh Raina, the other left-hander, did not seem too comfortable against short-pitched stuffs.
Raina appeared to have understand the relevance of the day as he showed keenness to have a few runs under his belt as well. At one stage, he had hit three successive fours against tweaker Paul Best.
Mukund and Raina, who resumed at the lunch-time score of 87 for two, rarely looked in trouble on a pitch that increasingly got better for batting.
Mukund reached his century when he drove Best down the ground for a single. He had till then faced 138 balls and hit 17 fours.
The young pace attack of Northamptonshire went flat out but the wicket, certainly, was not to their liking.
