Yo Mahesh prayed and Pradosh Ranjan Paul answered.

Some 30 minutes into the second session of the Ranji Trophy Elite Group D contest between Chandigarh and Tamil Nadu, the visiting team’s head coach pleaded to Pradosh and B. Indrajith: “Neenga kadasi varikum aadamum (you must stay there till the end of the day’s play).”

While the right-hander could not fulfil Yo Mahesh’s wish, the southpaw did not disappoint his boss at the Sector-16 Stadium here on Monday. His well-constructed unbeaten century (138 batting, 215b, 12x4) on a greenish surface was the headline act as Tamil Nadu, having opted to bat, stood at 320 for four at the end of a day it dominated. Pradosh, walking out at No. 3 after the fall of Vimal Khumar, was solid in defence, played the ball close to his body and employed the sweep repeatedly against the left-arm spinners. The 10th First Class ton, which he completed with a crunching cover-drive for four off Rohit Dhanda, was a tangible reward for his grind.

Another feature of his knock was the excellent running between the wickets. After keeping the fielders on their toes during the 139-run third-wicket stand with B. Indrajith (51, 112b, 3x4), the 25-year-old did not pass up any opportunity in his unbroken 66-run fifth-wicket association with G. Ajitesh (34 batting).

Indrajith, the topper

Unlike Pradosh, senior pros Indrajith and N. Jagadeesan (52, 88b, 8x4) could not carry on after crossing the first milestone.

Jagadeesan saw his stumps rearranged in left-arm tweaker Bhagmender Lather’s first over, with Indrajith walking back to the hut following a sharp return catch from Nishunk Birla. Indrajith, however, achieved a feat before being dismissed: he became the Tamil Nadu batter with most half-centuries (30) in the Ranji Trophy, surpassing S. Sharath and Hemang Badani (29). Pradosh, though, has his feet on the ground determined for more.

The scores: Tamil Nadu – 1st innings: Vimal Khumar c Arjit b Nikhil 11, N. Jagadeesan b Bhagmender 52, Pradosh Ranjan Paul (batting) 138, B. Indrajith c & b Nishunk 51, Andre Siddarth c & b Bhagmender 13, G. Ajitesh (batting) 34; Extras (b-8, lb-7, nb-3, w-3): 21; Total (for four wkts. in 86 overs): 320.

Fall of wickets: 1-38, 2-92, 3-231, 4-254.

Chandigarh bowling: Jagjit 12-3-38-0, Nikhil 10-0-34-1, Rohit 19-2-81-0, Nishunk 18-0-63-1, Bhagmender 16-2-47-2, Chiragvir 10-0-41-0, Arjun 1-0-1-0.