On the final day, with chances of taking the first innings lead slim for either team, it was Tamil Nadu skipper B. Indrajith who shone brightly with a masterful unbeaten century (103 n.o., 184b, 13x4, 1x6).
Needing 394 on the final day to take the lead, Tamil Nadu made 236 for four when rain interrupted play in the last session as both teams shared a point each.
Walking in at 51 for two after TN lost two quick wickets, Indrajith was in control from the beginning as he and his twin brother Aparajith added 50 runs in quick time to ensure TN went to lunch without further damage.
Stylish start
Indrajith started off in style with a flick through mid-wicket off medium-pacer Avesh Khan and was able to find the boundaries at will as he quickly raced into his 20s.
The 24-year old has always been a good player of spin and he showed that again on Sunday, using his feet to good effect to convert good deliveries to half-volleys and flick it to the midwicket fence against left-arm spinner Ankit Sharma.
Indrajith looked comfortable against the pacers too, especially against Avesh who had bowled a fiery spell in the second session in which he went past Aparajith’s defences and even bowled Vijay Shankar with a beautiful yorker off the very next delivery only to be called for a no-ball.
At the other end, Indrajith continued to be in control playing some beautiful shots, including two consecutive boundaries off Ishwar Pandey, first a flick and then an on drive — the shot of the day — to move to 80.
Post-tea, Indrajith quickly moved to his century with two fine sweeps off leg-spinner Mihir Hirwani to the fine-leg boundary before stepping out when on 96 to hit Hirwani over the mid-wicket fence to reach the three-figure mark.
Earlier, after incessant rains washed out day three, the final day of play started under bright sunshine with Abhinav Mukund and M. Vijay starting off solidly against the MP pacers with a 43-run stand.
Vijay looked at ease, flicking Ishwar Pandey stylishly, to get going. He then hit Avesh for two identical boundaries off the backfoot through the square region on the off-side before the pacer had Vijay driving and edging to the keeper.
The scores:
Madhya Pradesh — 1st innings: 393.
Tamil Nadu — 1st innings: Abhinav Mukund c Patidar b Ankit 28, M. Vijay c Dane b Avesh 19, B. Aparajith b Avesh 31, B. Indrajith (not out) 103, Vijay Shankar c Dane b Hirwani 17, B. Anirudh Sita Ram (not out) 28; Total (for four wkts. in 77.4 overs) 236; Extras (nb-4, w-1, b-4, lb-1) 10
Fall of wickets: 1-43, 2-51, 3-131, 4-185.
MP bowling: Ankit Sharma 19-7-54-1, Hirwani 18-4-67-1, Pandey 12-3-34-0, Kuldeep Sen 14-5-24-0, Avesh Khan 13-2-49-2, Shubham Sharma 1.4-0-3-0 .
