Pacer Anshul Kamboj ended up with an eight-wicket haul.© X (formerly Twitter)

Half-centuries by skipper Mayank Agarwal and Pratham 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, 8×4) and Pratham (59 batting, 82b, 6×4) 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 last ball of the day to part-time spinner Shreyas Iyer, spooning a simple return catch.

But till that point, Agarwal and Pratham 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 – Devdutt 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.

Rishabh Pant’s much-awaited return to red-ball cricket lasted a mere 10 balls and 15 minutes but Musheer Khan’s resolute unbeaten hundred carried India B to a satisfactory 202 for seven against India A, on the opening day of the four-day Duleep Trophy contest here on Thursday. Before Musheer (105 not out, 227b, 10×4, 2×6) and Navdeep Saini (29 not out, 74b, 4×4, 1×6) fought back for India B with a stand of 108 for the eighth wicket, they were in a huge hole at 94 for seven as ‘A’ skipper Shubman Gill made the prudent choice of bowling first under overcast skies.

But Musheer, younger brother of Sarfaraz Khan (9), saved his side from a total collapse with an innings of rare maturity that belied his 19 tender years.

When the right-hander entered the field at No 3 in the 14th over after the fall of Abhimayu Easwaran, the bowlers were right on top as a canopy of dark clouds hung over the Chinnaswamy.

Easwaran, usually a tightly organised batter, played a casual waft outside the off-stump off Avesh Khan and stumper Dhruv Jurel completed a superb diving catch just in front of KL Rahul at first slip.

Musheer had more than one worries to nullify. There was appreciable bounce, carry and movement for the India A pacers, who operated for a large part of the day.

But Musheer tackled each of those difficulties in his own way, as him walking down the track to nullify the movement was a rather curious sight. It was unconventional but was effective on the day.

However, even on a tough day, Musheer, who is making his Duleep Trophy debut, gave glimpse of his elegant self through a wonderful on-drive off Avesh that sped to the fence and a withering cut off left-arm seamer Khaleel Ahmed (2/39).

There was an element of power too when the right-hander hammered spinner Tanush Kotian for a couple of sixes in an over to move into the 90s.

Musheer received a slice of fortune too when Avesh dropped a regulation chance off his own bowling when the batter was on 69. India B was on 144 for seven then.

The Mumbai lad, who also had a wonderful Under-19 World Cup and Ranji Trophy season, duly brought up his hundred off 205 balls with a single off Kuldeep Yadav, which he celebrated with gusto.

Saini too should be given a pat on his back for showing guts to stay along with Musheer as the India A bowlers lost their sting and direction in the final session of the day.

But before the Musheer-Saini combine dragged them back into the match, several ‘B’ batters were also careless in their shot selection and none exemplified it more than Pant.

His first red-ball stint since December 2022 ended when his effort to cream Akash Deep off a fuller delivery resulted in a leading edge, which Gill converted into a superb running catch.

Yashasvi Jaiswal looked in good touch during his 59-ball 30 that contained six well-executed boundaries, including a crisp cover drive off Khaleel, but a moment of indiscretion ended his stay.

Jaiswal looked to cut Khaleel past the fielder at point, but there was not enough space to play that shot as substitute Shashwat Kumar held on to a fine catch.

Akash then produced the ball of the day to dismiss Nitish Kumar Reddy — the delivery pitched on middle and off moved ever so slightly to knock down the bails as the batter walked back with a first-ball zilch.

Washington Sundar backed up too far to get run out as India B innings hit the free-fall button.

But Musheer and Saini helped India B to carve their best session of the day in the final passage of play to temporarily slip out of trouble.

Brief scores: India B 202/7 in 79 overs (Yashasvi Jaiswal 30, Musheer Khan 105*; Khaleel Ahmed 2/39, Akash Deep 2/28, Avesh Khan 2/42) vs India A.