Karnataka came up with much-improved batting in their second innings to lead Rest of India by 321 runs on Day 3 of Irani Cup match in Bengaluru on Thursday.
Ravikumar Samarth (81), Karun Nair (80) and Manish Pandey (73 not out) guided the Ranji Trophy champions to 341 for 6 after resuming the day at 39 for no loss at the Chinnaswamy stadium.
Rest of India had put Karnataka under pressure by dismissing them for 224 on Day 1 but the hosts came out of the woods with a solid batting display.
Pandey's unbeaten 52-run partnership with captain Vinay Kumar (28 not out) towards the close of play further frustrated Rest of India.
Both Pandey and Vinay had luck on their side as they were dropped on 50 and 6 respectively.
Samarth, who opened in place of Uthappa, played a fine knock, which was studded with 10 fours.
A change in position did not work for Uthappa as he chopped one on to his stumps off pacer Varun Aaron. He had scored 10 in the first innings at the top of the order.
Nair and Pandey stitched an important 106-run stand for the fifth-wicket. The in-form Nair score his second fifty of the game, collecting 12 fours in his 123-ball essay.
The dismissals of Nair and Shreyas Gopal in the final session would have made Rest of India feel a bit better after toiling through the day.
Brief scores:
Karnataka: 244 & 341-6 in 93 overs (Ravikumar Samarth 81, Karun Nair 80, Manish Pandey 73 batting; Varun Aaron 2-85, Pragyan Ojha 2-93).
Rest of India: 264.
Image: Karnataka's Karun Nair celebrates after completing fifty runs against Rest of India during the third day's play in the Irani Trophy match at the KSCA stadium in Bengaluru.
Photograph: PTI
