Unyielding rain on Day 2 at Grace Road meant that not a single ball was bowled in the practice match between Leicestershire and the Indians. The Indians, riding on half-centuries from Shikhar Dhawan, Gautam Gambhir and Cheteshwar Pujara, had posted a formidable total of 333/4 on Day 1. With no play possible on the second day, MS Dhoni decided to declare at stumps, in the hope of giving his bowlers some work-out on the final day.
Live cricket score: Leicestershire vs Indians, 3-day practice match, Day 3, India tour of England 2014, Practice matches
While rain is forecast for the first hour on Day 3, things appear promising for most part of the afternoon as the possibility of rain is slim, according to weather reports.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar, who opened the bowling, started off well but was unlucky not to pick up a wicket. Angus Robson, going for a drive, got a big edge but the ball travelled past the slip cordon to the boundary ropes in the opening over. Bhuvneshwar, in the overs to follow, conceded a few more boundaries but he was bowling a testing spell and a couple of close leg-before shouts went against him.
Pankaj Singh, who was bowling well at the other end, provided the opening breakthrough by getting rid of Matthew Boyce for 4. The bowler had Ajinkya Rahane to thank for the wicket as he held on to a superb one-handed catch at third slip to see the back of the left-handed opener. FOW 30/1 in 7.4.