Duleep Trophy: Tilak, Pratham tons guide India A to total command

ANANTAPUR: Tilak Varma and Pratham made smooth hundreds to drive India A to a commanding position against India D after the third day of their Duleep Trophy match here on Saturday.

Varma did no harm to his ambitions of keeping himself visible in the India scheme of things with an unbeaten 111 (193 balls, 9x4), while Pratham made an impressive 122 (189 balls, 12x4, 1x6) as India A declared its second innings closed at 380 for three.

It gave it an overall lead of 487, and India D has chiselled off 62 from the target of 488 for the loss of Atharva Taide.

Ricky Bhui (44) and Yash Dubey (15) were at the crease for India D.

Pratham, who resumed from the overnight 59, continued to play fluently and reached his 100 in 149 balls in the first session itself.

But the 32-year-old Railways batter fell to left-arm spinner Saurabh Kumar close to the end of the opening session. Pratham added 104 runs for the second wicket with Varma.

However, Varma, who was once rated by Rohit Sharma as India’s next all-format player, held his end up well remaining unbeaten on 60, having brought up his fifty a bit earlier off 96 balls. India A took lunch at a solid 260 for two after starting the day from 115 for one.

But soon after resumption, India A lost Riyan Parag for 20 but Varma found an equally determined partner in Shashwat Rawat (64 not out, 88 balls, 7x4).

The fourth-wicket pair added 116 runs without getting separated that gave India A complete control of the proceedings.

Varma notched up his fifth First-Class hundred with a late cut to the third man region off off-spinner Saransh Jain that fetched the left-hander two runs. His hundred came off 177 balls.

India A went to tea break at 370 for three and then batted about 15 minutes into the final session before declaring the innings closed.

Though India D lost opener Taide in the third over to pacer Khaleel Ahmed, Dubey and Bhui ensured that its side will enter the final day without further damage.

Brief scores: India A 290 & 380/3 decl. In 98 overs (P Singh 122, T Varma 111 not out, S Rawat 64 not out) vs India D 183 & 62/1 in 19 overs (R Bhui 44 batting)

Anshul stars for India C

India B opener Abhimanyu Easwaran continued to bat confidently as he scored a defiant century to guide his team to 309 for 7 against India C, which still looked in control to enforce a follow-on.

Despite Easwaran’s unbeaten 143, India B trails India C by 216 runs and requires 66 more runs to avoid a follow-on with just three wickets in hand.

The Day 3 of the tie belonged to the India B skipper, who scored a patient 262-ball 143 amid a procession of wickets with India C pacer Anshul Kamboj's five-wicket haul (5/66 in 23.5 overs) bringing Easwaran's team on its knees.

Undaunted by the fall of wickets at the other end, Bengal batter Easwaran kept frustrating the India C bowlers, though he still has work to do on Sunday to avoid a follow-on.

Brief scores: India C 525 vs India B 309/7 in 101 overs (A Easwaran 143 batting, N Jagadeesan 70, A Kamboj 5/66)