Tilak Varma and Pratham Singh smashed centuries as India A dominated the third day of their Duleep Trophy match against India D at the Rural Development Trust Stadium, Anantapur, 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).
India A declared their second innings closed at 380/3, setting India D a huge target of 488 for victory.
At stumps on Day 3, India D were 62/1 in 19 overs, needing another 426 for victory on the fourth and final day. Ricky Bhui (44) and Yash Dubey (15) were at the crease for India D, who lost opener Atharva Taide for a duck, caught by Aaqib Khan off pacer Khaleel Ahmed.
Pratham, who resumed on his overnight score of 59, continued to play fluently as he stroked his way to a fine century from 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 after he had 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 as India A went into lunch on 260/2.
But soon after resumption, India A lost Riyan Parag for 20 but Varma found an equally determined partner in Shashwat Rawat, who played a superb knock of 64 not out, hitting seven fours in his 88-balls knock.
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 from 177 balls with a late cut to the third man region off spinner Saransh Jain for a couple of runs.
India A, who reached 370/3 at the tea break 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 built a solid unbeaten partnership of 60 runs from 103 balls. They face an improbable task of scoring 426 runs on the final day for victory.
Brief Scores:
India A: 380/3 decl in 98 overs (Pratham Singh 122, Tilak Varma 111 not out, Shashwat Rawat 64 not out) and 290 all out vs India D 62/1 in 19 overs and 183 all out (Ricky Bhui 44 not out).
