With the first Test under a week away, India were forced to toil in the field for longer than they would have wanted to
Young keeper hopes India are worn out
Cricket Australia XI gloveman Harry Nielsen left the SCG hoping his side's mammoth batting effort in India's sole tour match has worn down the tourists and helped the national team ahead of the first Test next week.
Nielsen's 100 was the highest score in the CA XI's first and only innings of 544, a score that took 151.1 overs to amass and kept India out in the field for the equivalent of five sessions across three days of play in Sydney.
India now head to Adelaide where they will have just four days to recover for the first Domain Test at Adelaide Oval.
The hosts failed to lose a wicket in the evening session on day two and the 10th wicket partnership between Luke Robins and Jackson Coleman lasted so long that lunch on day four was extended an extra 30 minutes to create a grueling three-hour session in the field for the visitors.
India were forced to call upon express paceman Jasprit Bumrah – who was not named to play but was allowed to participate given the absence of first-class status – to take the final wicket. He needed only seven balls to bring the CA XI to a close.
India's three frontline quicks bowled a combined 74 overs while ace spinner Ravichandran Ashwin bowled 40 overs for 2-122 on a wicket that strongly favoured the batters.
Watching India toil away was exactly what the CA XI were aiming to achieve, who opted not declare after overtaking India's first-innings score of 358.
Virat Kohli's crew grew frustrated as the CA XI tail wagged to the tune of 203 runs from their last four batters, which was exactly the intention of the home side.
"I think they were getting a bit grumpy, which was pleasing us," Nielsen said.
"With an eye towards the first Test, we were sort of trying to keep them out there as long as we could and help the Test team out.
"I think we did our job beautifully batting for (151.1) overs. I bet they certainly didn't plan on that, but they should've bowled us out.
"We were never going to declare, (hoping to) get plenty of overs into their quicks and wear them out a bit.
"Hopefully we've done (Australia) a favour and they can cash in Adelaide."
While Nielsen believes his side has done their job, India opener Murali Vijay said the tourists were unfazed by the long stint in the field.
"That's why we're here," Vijay said.
"We prepared our mindset to play four-day cricket.
"Our bowlers had a good stint today and hopefully that helped them out and their practices.
"We're looking forward to going to Adelaide and taking it from there."
India appeared at times lethargic and disinterested in the field, but Vijay said that lack of urgency and sharpness was down to the visitors experimenting as their unheralded opponents built a big score on a flat wicket.
"Anybody can score runs," Vijay.
"Basically, we play the wicket and we tried our best to get them all out and obviously the intensity was not up to the mark and we're just trying a few things.
"That's bound to happen in a practice game."
Vijay scored a savage 129 from 132 balls in the second innings, a knock that featured 16 fours and five sixes.
The veteran took 26 off one over from part-time off-spinner Jake Carder, thrilling the small group of Indian fans in the Ladies Pavilion.
With a full round of JLT Sheffield Shield running with the warm-up game, the strength of the CA XI was questioned prior to the match – but not from the Indian camp – and Nielsen said the youngsters proved they belong with a dominant performance.
"I think sometimes all you need is an opportunity and it shows when blokes get a chance," Nielsen said.
"All that talk about 'not a quality opposition' is rubbish in my opinion.
"I think we showed today that we can match it with the best in the world.
"We dominated that game. I don’t think they have a right to question our quality."
Domain Test Series v India
Dec 6-10: First Test, Adelaide Oval
Dec 14-18: Second Test, Perth Stadium
Dec 26-30: Third Test, MCG
Jan 3-7: Fourth Test, SCG
Australia squad: Tim Paine (c, wk), Josh Hazlewood (vc), Mitch Marsh (vc), Pat Cummins, Aaron Finch, Peter Handscomb, Marcus Harris, Travis Head, Usman Khawaja, Nathan Lyon, Shaun Marsh, Peter Siddle, Mitchell Starc, Chris Tremain
India squad: Virat Kohli (c), Murali Vijay, KL Rahul, Prithvi Shaw, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, Hanuma Vihari, Rohit Sharma, Rishabh Pant (wk), Parthiv Patel (wk), Ravi Ashwin, Ravi Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Ishant Sharma, Umesh Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Bhuvneshwar Kumar