Resuming at 5-73, India A improved to 7-206 at lunch on day three of their tour match against Australia A at the MCG.
That gives the tourists a lead of 144 in the four-day game.
The popular thinking is that Australia A captain Nathan McSweeney will join Usman Khawaja as the openers for the first Test against India.
McSweeney was elevated to the opening role for this match.
But he made only 14 in the first innings, while fellow opener Marcus Harris did no harm to his claims for a Test recall with a top score of 74.
Of the other candidates, Cam Bancroft's run of low scores persisted in the first innings and young gun Sam Konstas also was dismissed for three.
But after 25 wickets fell on the first two days, the MCG wicket clearly had lost some of its venom on Saturday and the India A tailenders went to work.
No.6 Dhruv Jurel was dropped on 25 and he made the home side pay, reaching 68 before spinner Corey Rocchiccioli had him caught in the deep.
He put on 94 for the sixth wicket with Nitish Kumar Reddy to ensure the match would continue well into the afternoon.
Reddy made 38 before Beau Webster claimed his third wicket of the innings, with the batsman caught behind attempting a hook shot.
That brought together Tanush Kotian and Prasidh Krishna, who had swung freely at times for a stand of 41 that delighted the small crowd and further frustrated Australia A hopes of an early finish.
Kotian made 25 from 47 balls, with two boundaries, while Krishna hit five fours in his 26no from 32 deliveries.
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