Padikkal fifty sets the stage before Australia A lose two early in chase of 363

Devdutt Padikkal made a fluent half-century on India A captaincy debut and set up his team's victory push on a Puducherry pitch that had started to misbehave on day three. Kumar Kushagra also extended his rich form with an unbeaten 46 off 59 balls, as India A set Australia A 363. In response, the visitors were 55 for 2 at the close of play.

After opener Campbell Kellaway departed for a duck, Sam Konstas (20) fell around 15 minutes before stumps. Nathan McSweeney, who had bagged a duck himself in Australia A's first innings, gave a better account of himself in the second, and saw off India A's spinners along with Peter Handscomb.

Earlier, India had rolled over Australia A for 171 at stumps on day two, but they decided against enforcing the follow-on on, and instead opted to have their bowling attack put their feet up in the dressing room.

India A had earned a 163-run first-innings lead, and they built on it with a 68-run partnership for the second wicket between captain Padikkal and his deputy B Sai Sudharsan. The Puducherry pitch played some tricks on day three: some balls kicked up from a length and smacked the glove while others shot low at ankle-height from a similar length. But, despite the up-and-down bounce on offer, Padikkal and Sudharsan looked largely comfortable during their stand.

Padikkal, though, pressed on to bring up a half-century off 72 balls. He reached the landmark with back-to-back fours off seam-bowling allrounder Liam Scott in the 36th over.

Murphy had Padikkal nicking off to slip in the first innings with sharp turn and sharper bounce, but that didn't stop Padikkal from attacking the offspinner. Padikkal manufactured swinging room, jumped out of the crease, and cracked Murphy over mid-off, putting smiles on the faces of a bunch of school kids who were in attendance at the Siechem ground.

Padikkal's knock ended on 59 when Scott's attempted short ball did not bounce much and had him lbw. Scott had also dislodged Yash Rathod with a peach that angled in from round the wicket and veered away late to hit the top of off. Getting an opportunity perhaps in place of Jack Edwards, who was making his ODI debut for Australia several thousand kilometres away in Durban, Scott came away with figures of 5-1-22-2.

After producing contrasting hundreds in the Duleep Trophy final at Chepauk and then in this four-dayer against Australia A in Puducherry, Kushagra threatened to make another substantial score until he ran out of partners. By then, India A's lead had already grown past 350.

Kushagra came out with attacking intent and launched the fifth ball he faced, from Corey Rocchiccioli, over mid-off for four. He also charged at Murphy and whacked him over long-off and long-on for sixes.

Kushagra, though, copped a nasty blow on the chin when a back-of-a-length delivery from Doggett reared up at his glove and then popped up at his helmet. After taking some treatment, Kushagra batted on, but didn't return to keep wicket later in the evening.

He handed over the gloves to substitute N Jagadeesan, who needed a helmet to counter the variable bounce standing back. With Anshul Kamboj spraying the new ball around, Jagadeesan gave up six byes in the first over of the chase before tightening up.

In the second over, Tushar Deshpande trapped Kellaway plumb in front with an inswinger after teasing the opener with an outswinger. McSweeney and Konstas added 47 for the second wicket before Kotian pinned the latter lbw in his third over.

With the cracks opening up even further and the bounce becoming more variable, Kotian and Shams Mulani could have a bigger role to play for India A on the final day.