Playing their opening game of the Challenger Series, India B ran into a bellicose Saurav Ganguly. The India Seniors captain flayed 144 and provided the impetus that propelled his team to a staggering 392 in 50 overs. True India B had Tendulkar in their midst apart from an accomplished supporting cast, of which Dinesh Mongia formed an important presence, but could they get to sniffing distance of such an intimidating total?

Tendulkar offered the sparks at the top of the order despite losing Jai P Yadav, Amay Khurasiya and Sukhwinder Singh by the wayside. At 90/3 in the 12th over, Mongia was ushered into the middle to join his illustrious partner. As long as Tendulkar stayed put, Mongia did not deviate markedly from his assigned role on the fringes of the big stage. But he did offer a glimpse of the riches in store with a couple of effortless pulls off Saurav Ganguly that graced the hoardings at midwicket.

Tendulkar's departure at 132 allowed Mongia to step out of the shadows. The pull shot was showcased repeatedly as the crowning jewel in Mongia's repertoire, Ganguly once again bore the brunt as another disappeared over midwicket. Mongia also revelled in the front foot drive over cover point as the runs flowed fast and thick. Successive fours off Debashis Mohanty brought up his fifty off just 47 balls and in the company of his skipper Robin Singh the running between the wickets assumed a sense of urgency hitherto not noticed.

Not that either of them discriminated against the boundaries. Mongia hurried to an 85 ball century with another of those trademark pulls, off Ashish Nehra on this occasion. The following delivery was hoicked down midwicket's throat but fortunately for Mongia, the bowler was adjudged to have overstepped the popping crease. Mongia's luck ran out on the next ball, which was perfectly legal, which he struck in similar fashion, and which the fielder pocketed with ease. Ten fours and two sixes adorned his knock of 102 and in the final stretch India B came uncomfortably close to the target at hand, losing only by 30 runs.