Half-centuries by skipper Mayank Agarwal and Pratam Singh helped India A reach 115 for one in their second innings and extend their hold over India D after second day's play of the Duleep Trophy in Anantapur on Friday.
India A, who made 290 in their first innings, earlier bowled out their opponents for 183 despite India batter Devdutt Padikkal's valiant 92 to gain a lead of 107 runs.
Now, India A have an advantage of 222 runs, with Agarwal (56, 87b, 8x4) and Pratham (59 batting, 82b, 6x4) leading their run glut in the second innings.
However, Agarwal, who is eager to chart his way back into selectorial reckoning, will be kicking himself for falling on the first ball off the final over of the day to part-time spinner Shreyas Iyer, spooning a simple return catch.
But till that point, Agarwal and Pratam played fluently and executed some fluent drives and cuts as the run-rate never came under four.
However, that's just one part of India A's story of domination on the day as earlier pacers Khaleel Ahmed and Aaqib Khan bagged three wickets apiece to rattle the India D line-up.
Only one of their batters defied the constant challenge of judgement -- Padikkal who stroked his way to a 124-ball 92 with 15 hits to the ropes.
The Karnataka left-hander who made his Test debut earlier this year against England was particularly harsh on any offering on his pads or away from the off-stump.
A century was there for his taking, but the 24-year-old fell just eight runs shy as his attempt to play a shot on the up off state-mate Prasidh Krishna ended up in a simple catch to stumper Kumar Kushagra.
The 11-4-30-1 figures do not fall under the hallow-spell category, but for Prasidh it was important in his comeback journey.
This was the pacer's first outing in competitive cricket since Karnataka's Ranji Trophy game against Gujarat in January this year.
Since that match, the 28-year-old was recuperating from a quadricep injury.
Harshit Rana made a 31 off 29 balls, including two back-to-back sixes off left-arm spinner Shams Mulani, but his effort was not enough for India D to close the gap with their rivals.
However, Rana can take a slice of comfort as he completed a four-wicket haul in the opening session of the day to bowl out India A for 290 in their first dig.
India A were resuming from their overnight 288 for eight, but lost Mulani and Aaqib to Rana who ended up with 4 for 51.
Brief scores: India A: 290 all out and 115/1 in 28.1 overs (Mayank Agarwal 56, Pratam Singh 59 batting) vs India D: 183 all out in 52.1 overs (Devdutt Padikkal 92, Harshit Rana 31; Khaleel Ahmed 3/39, Aaqib Khan 3/41).
Strong riposte by Easwaran, Jagadeesan after India C post mammoth 525
India B openers Abhimanyu Easwaran and Narayan Jagadeesan made a confident start with an unbroken partnership of 124 after India C posted a mammoth first-innings total of 525 in their Duleep Trophy match in Anantapur on Friday.
At stumps on Day 2, Easwaran and Jagadeesan were batting on 51 and 67 respectively, having crossed the team 50 within 15 overs.
Still faced with a deficit of 401 runs, the duo of Easwaran and Jagadeesan will look to carry on in the same vein in the third morning, hoping to get as close as possible to the huge total put up by their opponents.
Leading the India B side, seasoned Bengal batter Easwaran made his runs in 91 balls with the help of four fours and a six, while wicketkeeper Jagadeesan faced 126 deliveries and struck eight boundaries during his stay in the middle.
In the 36 overs bowled by them, none of the India C bowlers tasted success as Easwaran and Jagadeesan succeeded in keeping the team's all 10 wickets intact heading into the third day's play.
Besides going wicket-less, India C were also forced to take frontline bowler Sandeep Warrier off the attack after the medium pacer suffered an injury at the start of the India B innings.
Warrier had just bowled his seventh delivery of the match when he was taken off due to the injury.
Earlier, the young Manav Suthar excelled with a neat 82 off 156 balls and anchored the India C innings after the departure of the other overnight batter, skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad (74-ball 58).
After Gaikwad fell for the addition of 12 runs to his individual total, Suthar found an able ally in Anshul Kamboj and the two added 55 runs for eighth wicket to push the India C total past 450.
Kamboj chipped in with a brisk 38 off 27 balls, hitting five fours and two sixes during his breezy knock after Mayank Markande had made a 21-ball 17, even as Suthar continued to impress.
This was the 22-year-old Suthar's fourth First-Class half-century and first in the Duleep Trophy in his second outing, improving on his fine performance from the previous round.
During his knock that frustrated the India B bowlers after lunch on the second day as they looked to wrap up the India C innings, Suthar struck 11 fours and three sixes.
Leg-spinner Rahul Chahar (4/73) was the most successful bowler for India C and pacer Mukesh Kumar (4/126) was also among wickets.
On day one, Ishan Kishan (111 off 126 balls) marked his First-Class return after well over a year with a counterattacking hundred, helping India C reach 357 for five.
Brief Scores: India C: 525 all in 124.1 overs (Ishan Kishan 111, Manav Suthar 82, Baba Indrajith 78, Ruturaj Gaikwad 58; Rahul Chahar 4/73, Mukesh Kumar 4/126) vs India B: 124 for no loss in 36 overs (Abhimanyu Easwaran batting 51, Narayan Jagadeesan batting 67).
