For Pratham Singh, an engineering graduate, a late-blooming cricketing career was glued to uncertainty for six years until he struck his maiden First-Class hundred in his 29th match in February. On Saturday in Anantapur, Pratham doubled the tally with another second-innings hundred. As he raised his arms aloft in jubilation, the 32-year-old played like he belonged in his 30th red-ball outing, his Duleep Trophy debut for India A.

For Tilak Varma, 22, the challenge was to match the initial promise and sustain his healthy red-ball numbers. But for a majority of tons in the Ranji Trophy plate league and brief injury concerns, the Hyderabad youngster had to get back among runs on a higher plateau to remain in contention.

Declaration!

India A have declared on 380/3. They have set India D a target of 488 🎯

Pratham Singh & Tilak Varma scored tons, while Mayank Agarwal and Shashwat Rawat hit fifties in a solid batting effort.#DuleepTrophy | @IDFCFIRSTBank

Scorecard ▶️ https://t.co/m9YW0Hu10f pic.twitter.com/5WPrgSygql

— BCCI Domestic (@BCCIdomestic) September 14, 2024

The twin southpaw attack was too much for Shreyas Iyer’s India D to contain on another listless day in the field. Consequently, India D were left to chase a daunting 487-run target shortly after tea on Day 3 as Tilak sauntered to his fifth FC hundred.

First Class, Pratham

While he had missed out on the first attempt, falling for seven, Pratham’s overnight do-over teased his positive intent and shot-making profile.

The Railways opener’s rearguard had grabbed attention in his last Ranji Trophy game against Tripura in Agartala.

Manning a 378-run chase where Railways had conceded the first-innings lead and stumbled to 31 for three, Pratham blunted the opposition with his stoicism, remaining unbeaten for 300 balls. Pratham, by then, had slammed his maiden red-ball ton (169 not out) and overseen the highest-ever chase (378) in Ranji history against a shell-shocked Tripura in their state capital.

Brilliant Opening Act 👌

Pratham Singh laid the platform for India A with a fantastic maiden Duleep Trophy ton! 💪

Watch 📽️ his excellent innings 🔽#DuleepTrophy | @IDFCFIRSTBankhttps://t.co/40L1IOQGas

— BCCI Domestic (@BCCIdomestic) September 14, 2024

On Friday evening, Pratham raced off the blocks with a swivelling pull for four off Harshit Rana. He carted seamer Vidwath Kaverappa to the point boundary before flicking and drilling Arshdeep Singh for successive fours through fine leg and long off. In the morning session’s play on day 3, Pratham made his intentions clear as he swept and lofted a threadbare spin attack.

Employing some typical left-handed languidity, Pratham vaulted to his century as he walloped Kaverappa for a maximum over mid-wicket and followed up with successive boundaries. While Pratham placed India A in the driver’s seat before tapping a delivery to first slip off Saurabh Kumar, Riyan Parag fluffed another chance with the blade.

The instinctive slugger spanked left-arm spinner Saurabh with a mistimed six over long-on before holing out to a similar stroke soon after. Parag’s tendency to give away high-voltage starts has subdued his campaign to four iffy knocks across two rounds with questions lingering over his defensive temperament.

India D’s frolic was short-lived as Tilak combined with Shashwat Rawat (64 not out) and blunted the bowlers.

Back in the race

Tilak opened the day for his side by thumping a full toss to the long-on fence for four. The reverse sweeps and zooming aerial cover drives put offie Saransh Jain and Saurabh off their tracks. Operating smoothly within the popping crease and beyond, Tilak’s assured footwork befuddled the tweakers as Iyer extensively resorted to spin in the phase. Effectively, 89 of Tilak’s unbeaten 111 runs came against spin, including seven fours.

Creativity & Placement 👌👌

Tilak Varma has played a fine knock so far and put India A in a strong position 💪#DuleepTrophy | @IDFCFIRSTBank

Follow the match ▶️: https://t.co/m9YW0Hu10f pic.twitter.com/9sMhdgAQ3Z

— BCCI Domestic (@BCCIdomestic) September 14, 2024

India D’s response to a 489-run target suffered another worrying start when opener Atharva Taide bagged a pair, registering a five-ball duck against his first-innings nemesis Khaleel Ahmed. While the left-arm pacer had struck with a sharp nip-backer the previous day, Khaleel’s fuller ball caught Taide off-guard as he chipped to the mid-on fielder. Promoted to number three, an aggressive Ricky Bhui imminently wore the new ball down as his reticent partner Yash Dubey watched on.

The right-handed Bhui bludgeoned seven fours off the pacers and crunched left-arm spinner Shams Mulani for a six, taking India D to 62 for 1 before stumps.

Easwaran fights the odds

In the other round two fixture, India B’s determined pursuit of India C’s whopping 525 dwindled progressively as Anshul Kamboj wreaked havoc on a flat strip. Captain Abhimanyu Easwaran’s unbeaten hundred left India B with a fighting chance after Anshul single-handedly uprooted the middle order. Mumbai sensations Sarfaraz Khan (16) and Musheer Khan (1) were trapped cheaply by the Haryana seamer. Anshul then registered his maiden First-Class five-for when he cleaned up Nitish Kumar Reddy, ending his wait for the milestone in his 15th appearance.

Holding on with the tail, Easwaran’s 24th First-Class hundred eventually dragged India B to stumps with a 216-run first-innings deficit hanging over them ahead of the final day’s play.

Brief Scores: India A 290 all out and 380/3 declared (Pratham Singh 122, Tilak Verma 111 not out, Shashwat Rawat 64 not out) vs India D 183 all out and 64/1 (Ricky Bhui 44 batting).

India C 524 all out vs India B 309/7 (Abhimanyu Easwaran 143 batting, N Jagadeesan 70; Anshul Kamboj 5/66)