India D and its flickering hopes of a victory were extinguished entirely by Tilak Varma (111 n.o., 193b, 9x4) and Pratham Singh (122, 189b, 12x4, 1x6) on Saturday, whose centuries put India A one step closer to a marauding win on day three of the second-round Duleep Trophy fixture at the Rural Development Trust Stadium in Anantapur.
Tilak’s attritional essay was the backbone of two 100-plus stands, with Pratham and Shashwat Rawat, that took his side to 380 for three in the second innings, burying India D under a massive target.
In pursuit of 488 runs, Ricky Bhui threw caution to the wind and put up a brave fight for India D, steering the side to 62 for one at Stumps. He was off the blocks with conventional drives through covers off Khaleel Ahmed but did not take long to slash over point and slips against Prasidh Krishna. Shams Mulani could not rein him in either, lofted as he was over long-on for a six. Bhui was unbeaten on 44 in the company of Yash Dubey.
The signs looked ominous for India D when Shreyas Iyer bowled a full-toss to Tilak to open his account on the first delivery of the day. Tilak accepted the length on offer from Harshit Rana and drove him through mid-off and covers.
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But India D dug its own grave when Saransh Jain put down a straightforward chance that came his way from an ill-conceived reverse sweep by Tilak, on 39, off Saurabh Kumar.
Pratham unfurled his pull shot twice and drove through covers to pick 14 runs in a Vidwath Kaverappa over, completing his second First-Class century. But an unchecked drive off Saurabh took an outside edge and proved his undoing.
Riyan Parag proceeded against the spinners with disdain, dispatching Saurabh down the ground and Saransh over mid wicket for two sixes. But his attack met its match in Saurabh’s flight, which forced Parag to fluff an attempted slog to mid-on.
Shashwat Rawat (64 n.o., 88b, 7x4), though, ensured India A’s momentum did not fizzle out. He began by stepping out and hoisting Saurabh over mid-on for four. However, the highlight came in his straight drives on either side of the wicket in Arshdeep Singh’s over.
India D bringing Shreyas and Atharva Taide to roll their arms signalled the side was on the brink of resignation. But Tilak was in no mood to relent as danced down the track off Shreyas and Saransh to collect two more fours.
Declaration seemed imminent once Tilak completed his hundred just before Tea, but India A forced its opposition on the field once more for two overs in the third session before pulling the plug.
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