Sourav Ganguly again failed to get the much-needed match practice ahead of the Test series against Australia as India A crashed to a humiliating 133-run defeat against New Zealand A on the last day of the second and final four-day match in Chennai on Monday.
The former India captain, who scored 14 runs in the first innings, was dismissed for six in the second essay.
New Zealand A captain Peter Fulton made a bold second innings declaration shortly before lunch at 194 for 7, setting the Indians a target of 234 for victory from a minimum 60 overs.
Fulton's gamble paid off as the hosts were dismissed for 100 in 58.2 overs, the last wicket falling just 38 minutes before close of play.
The result enabled the visitors draw the series 1-1 and salvage some pride after the poor showing since the preceding tri-series.
India got off to a forgettable start and were reeling at 25 for five in just 14 overs. Barring opener Sahil Kukreja (31), the other batsmen got out cheaply. But for a 22-run last-wicket partnership between Pradeep Sangwan (11) and Ashok Dinda (not out 10), the Indian total would not have reached the three-figure mark.
Earlier, in a surprise turn of events, New Zealand, who had taken a first innings lead of 39, declared their second innings after adding 87 runs for the loss of four wickets to their overnight 107.
Greg Hay (23) and James Marshall (43), two of the key batsmen, were dismissed by Ravindra Jadeja and Suresh Raina respectively within the first 18 overs.
B J Watling (34 not out) batted gamely but wickets fell at the other end. Leg spinner Amit Mishra continued with his good showing, adding two more wickets to the one taken on Sunday for a match tally of nine wickets.
With runs hard to come by on the wicket that kept low, the target was never easy and Kiwi medium pacers Ian O'Brien (3/30) and Bradely Scott (2/5) and spinners Nathan McCullum (2/33) and Aaron Redmond (2/25) did a commendable job with some tight bowling.
Ganguly came in at number four, with the side struggling at two for one in the third over after first innings stars M Vijay and Cheteshwar Pujara were back in the pavilion without scoring, both falling to O'Brien in successive overs.
Vijay, who missed the century by two runs in the first essay, gave a top edge to Fulton at mid-off, trying to pull from outside the off stump, and Pujara was caught in the second slip by McCullum while playing a cut.
The situation provided Ganguly the right opportunity to get back to competitive cricket and bring out his best. He started off confidently, cutting O'Brien to point boundary in the last over before lunch.
Returning after the break, the southpaw, included in the Indian squad for the first two Tests against Australia, played watchfully against the opening bowlers O'Brien and Trent Boult, who were bang on target.
However, Ganguly got out in the ninth over, going for his favourite slice shot off the first ball of Bradely Scott's first over and was well caught at shoulder height by B J Watling at gully.
India A captain Suresh Raina, who hit a century in the first match, also departed soon, run-out to a direct hit by Marshall from cover region, while Ravindra Jadeja was caught by Reece Young off Scott in the 14th over, trying to slash outside the off-stump without moving his feet.
Kukreja, who was playing with lot of confidence, led a fightback, adding 31 runs for the sixth wicket with wicketkeeper Wriddhiman Saha off 128 balls, before Saha was trapped in front by O'Brien in the last over before tea.
Kukreja too departed, caught by Young off leg spinner Redmond 10 overs later with the team total 69 for seven, and defeat appeared inevitable.
Mishra (7-41b) and Sangwan (11-26b, 2x4) offered some resistance. Dinda and Sangwan picked some valuable runs towards the end but could not bat out the day in the end.
India A coach Dav Whatmore blamed the top order batsmen for the defeat saying, "They played too many shots too early. The loss of early wickets put the pressure on the lower order batsmen," he said, adding the wicket was not easy to play.
A jubilant Fulton admitted he did take a risk in declaring the innings.
"I knew it was a bit risky. But down 0-1 we had to win to draw the series. Once India lost two wickets at lunch, I new we had a chance. And after the fall of Raina I realized India cannot go for the win," he said.
Scorecard
New Zealand A (1st innings): 315
India A (1st innings): 276
New Zealand A (overnight 107/3):
Aaron Redmond c Jadeja b Singh 5
M J Guptill lbw Raina 41
Peter Fulton b Mishra 33
Greg Hay c Raina b Jadeja 23
James Marshall c Vijay b Raina 43
B J Watling not out 34
Reece Young c Vijay b Mishra 4
Nathan McCullum c sub (Jaydev Shah) b Mishra 0
Bradely Scott not out 4
Extras: (B-6, LB-1) 7
Total: (declared, for 7 wickets in 61 overs) 194
Fall of wickets: 1-10, 2-70, 3-92, 4-129, 5-158, 6-176, 7-182.
Bowling: R P Singh 6-0-23-1; Ashok Dinda 3-2-10-0; Pradeep Sangwan 2-0-17-0; Sourav Ganguly 2-0-9-0; Amit Mishra 22-5-65-3; Ravindra Jadeja 16-6-36-1; Suresh Raina 10-2-27-2.
India A (2nd innings):
Sahil kukreja c Young b Redmond 31
M Vijay c Fulton b O'Brien 0
C Pujara c McCullum b O'Brien 0
Sourav Ganguly c Watling b Scott 6
Suresh Raina run out (Marshall) 5
Ravindra Jadeja c Young b Scott 4
Wriddhiman Saha LBW O'Brien 16
Amit Mishra c Guptil b Redmond 7
R P Singh LBW McCullum 7
Pradeep Sangwan c Marshall b McCullum 11
Ashok Dinda not out 10
Extras: (LB-2, W-1) 3
Total: (all out in 58.2 overs) 100
Fall of wickets: 1-1, 2-1, 3-12, 4-21, 5-25, 6-56, 7-69, 8-78, 9-78.
Bowling: Ian O'Brien 13-5-30-3; Trent Boult 4-1-5-0; Bradely Scott 4-2-5-2; Nathan McCullum 21.2-8-33-2; Aaron Redmond 16-6-25-2.
