Debutants hogged the limelight on the second day even as Tamil Nadu gained control of the Ranji Trophy Super League match against Delhi at the Feroze Shah Kotla ground in New Delhi on Friday.
Wicketkeeper-batsman Vikram Mani struck a valuable half-century that ensured Tamil Nadu a healthy first innings total of 347 before India under-19 seamer Yo Mahesh picked up the crucial wicket of opener Aakash Chopra (4) in the final session.
Gautam Gambhir was dismissed for nought to leave Delhi precariously placed at 54 for two at close, 293 runs in arrears.
Skipper Mithun Manhas on 16 and Shikhar Dhawan on 29 were at the crease.
The hosts did have something to cheer about as right arm pacer Ishant Sharma, also playing in his maiden first-class game, returned with figures of 4-65.
At 26, Mani might not be really young to make a first-class debut but the right-hander made use of the opportunity arising from Dinesh Kaarthick's absence to notch up a timely 52 that made up for the cheap loss of the lower order.
With overnight batsmen, centurion S Badrinath and R Sathish, and the experienced S Sharath departing with only 253 on the board, Tamil Nadu were looking to the experience of Mani and former India offie Aashish Kapoor to bail them out of trouble.
And Mani repaid the faith of his selectors by combining with the tail; the last four wickets produced 94 runs.
His 131-ball innings contained seven fours, a leg glance off left-arm spinner Rahul Sanghvi and a cover drive off Ashish Nehra being the stand out ones.
Sharma claimed the key wickets of Sathish (21), Sharath (16) and Kapoor (14).
Captain Badrinath fell to Sanghvi for 136 which came from 303 balls and contained 15 fours and a six.
Delhi started on a shaky note with Gambhir being bowled neck and crop by Tamilkumaran in the second over.
Chopra never looked comfortable against the energetic pace of Yo Mahesh.
The India discard had a reprieve when Mani dropped a simple outside edge but it was not long before the right arm seamer found another thick edge which was brilliantly taken by M Vijay, another debutant, in the second slip.
Scorecard
Tamil Nadu 1st innings
M Vijay lbw b Bhatia 59
S Vidyut lbw b Sharma 2
HK Badani c Dahiya b Nehra 5
S Badrinath c Dahiya b Sanghvi 136
R Sathish c Dhawan b Sharma 21
S Sharath c Manhas b Sharma 16
M Vikram c Dahiya b Sanghvi 52
AR Kapoor c Chopra b Sharma 14
VY Mahesh run out (Gambhir) 1
C Suresh not out 11
DT Kumaran b Manhas 14
Extras (b 9, nb 2, pen 5) 16
Total (all out; 148.1 overs; 650 mins) 347
Fall of wickets: 1-2, 2-11, 3-138, 4-195, 5-234, 6-253, 7-296, 8-302, 9-326, 10-347
Bowling: Nehra 40 10 88 1, Sharma 34 13 65 4, Nanda 29 7 84 0, Sanghvi 26 5 76 2, Bhatia 16 8 16 1, Manhas 3.1 0 4 1
Delhi 1st innings
A Chopra c Vijay b Mahesh 4
G Gambhir b Kumaran 0
S Dhawan not out 29
M Manhas not out 16
Extras (nb 5) 5
Total (2 wickets; 22 overs) 54
Fall of wickets: 1-0, 2-25
Bowling: Mahesh 8 4 9 1, Kumaran 8 4 28 1, R Sathish 5 1 16 0, Kapoor 1 0 1 0