Yash Rathod has the sixth-highest first-class average for any Indian batter with at least 2000 runs, going past Vijay Hazare (58.38) and Vinod Kambli (59.67).
Rajat Patidar and Yash Rathod exploited the lack of spin bowling options in South Zone ranks to craft easy-on-the-eye hundreds, taking Central Zone to a commanding 384/5 on Day 2 of the Duleep Trophy final.
Vidarbha will take on Odisha at the VCA Cricket Stadium in Nagpur from Saturday.
Last season's runners-up Vidarbha produced a disciplined all-round performance to beat Delhi by 76 runs and enter their second successive semi-final of the Vijay Hazare Trophy in Bengaluru on Tuesday.
The Akshay Wadkar-led side are coming off a massive 221-run victory over Rajasthan in their previous contest.
Yash Rathod makes 194 as Central extend command over South in Duleep Trophy final
Dubey to lead Vidarbha in Ranji tie against Andhra, Faiz added to Vijay Hazare final squad
Devdutt Padikkal, who appears to have found a magic bat of sorts and is scoring runs at will, will hold the key to Karnataka's chances as they take on Vidarbha in the first semifinal of the Vijay Hazare Trophy in Bengaluru on Thursday.
Taide scored 118 not out off 240 balls, while Yash Rathod chipped in with a valuable 91 (153 balls, 6 fours, 1 six) as the two revived their side after wickets fell in a heap.
Vidarbha's batting mainstay Dhruv Shorey equalled N Jagadeesan's record for the most consecutive List A centuries, registering his fifth in a row with an unbeaten 109 off 77 balls against Hyderabad.
Vidarbha, who have remained unbeaten in the premier domestic competition this season, qualified for the summit clash after a commanding 80-run win over defending champions Mumbai.
Dhruv Jurel, who impressed during India's series-levelling tour of England, was on Thursday named captain of Central Zone for the season-opening Duleep Trophy, set to begin on August 28 in Bengaluru.
Unlike in the past, both Saurashtra and Vidarbha do not have any superstars in their line-up.
Vidarbha made a grand entry into the Ranji Trophy semi-final after outclassing Tamil Nadu by 198 runs on Day 4.
Rinku smashed 17 fours and six sixes during his stay in the middle. He was batting on 98 at stumps on the third evening and faced a total of 247 balls across two days.
Vidarbha took a commanding lead in the Ranji Trophy semifinal against Mumbai, reducing the defending champions to 83/3 in their second innings.
Nitish Reddy fails with bat as Vidarbha take first-innings lead against Andhra
Vidarbha's Atharva Taide slammed a match-winning century in the Vijay Hazare Trophy final against Saurashtra on Sunday.
Central Zone make four changes in squad for Duleep Trophy final against South Zone
Atharva Taide slammed a century to power Vidarbha to a 38-run win over Saurashtra in the Vijay Hazare Trophy final.
Aman Mokhade's hundred carries Vidarbha into VHT final
Prashanth Neel's Dragon promises a sprawling mass action spectacle with its gritty world-building, intriguing historical backstory, and Jr NTR's ferocious transformation as 'Luger'.
Ranji Trophy champions Vidarbha left Rest of India (RoI) reeling at 142 for 5 as bad light forced early close of Day 2 in their Irani Cup match, in Nagpur, on Thursday.
Pacer Gurjapneet Singh, who earned an India A call on Sunday, picked up the scalps of Shubham Sharma and the promoted Saransh Jain, who was later adjudged player of the series, to create some anxious moments in the Central camp.
Skipper Ankit Kumar and promising batter Yash Dhull made contrasting hundreds to place North Zone on the cusp of the Duleep Trophy semifinals in Bengaluru, on Saturday.
Vidarbha took a commanding 297-run lead against Tamil Nadu on Day 4 of their Ranji Trophy quarter-final on Monday.
The experienced trio of Ajinkya Rahane, Suryakumar Yadav and Shivam Dube failed with the bat to leave Mumbai India reeling against Vidarbha on Day 2 of the Ranji Trophy semi-finals.
Harsh Dubey picked up five wickets as Vidarbha outclassed Mumbai by 80 runs to enter the Ranji Trophy final, in Nagpur, on Friday.
Vidarbha stayed firmly in control of the Irani Cup final, setting Rest of India a stiff 361-run target before reducing them to 30 for two in 12 overs when rain forced an early close on the fourth day, in Nagpur, on Saturday.
The bonus point win helped Gujarat (26) climb to the second spot, two points behind Vidarbha who led a strong second innings fightback in an away match against Rajasthan.
India pacer Mohammed Shami's five-wicket burst put Bengal on the verge of an outright victory with bonus point against Services on the third day of their Ranji Trophy Elite Group C match in Kalyani, West Bengal on Saturday.
Karun Nair's wife Sanaya Tankariwala Nair took to social media to vent her frustration, labelling Nair's omission as pure injustice to the batter and a 'complete contradiction of the system's stated purpose'.
Karnataka, Maharashtra register innings wins to go 1-2 in Group B of Ranji Tropphy.
Earlier, Akash Anand completed his second first-class century and shared a 69-run stand with Tanush Kotian (33) to lead Mumbai's recovery after they ended the second day at 188 for seven.
Former winners Vidarbha will rely on their red-hot form to stake claim for a title they last won over five years ago, while first-time finalists Kerala will be driven by grit when the two contrasting teams clash in the summit showdown for the 90th Ranji Trophy, starting in Nagpur on Wednesday.
Sarfaraz Khan and Siddhesh Lad compiled superlative hundreds to power table-toppers Mumbai to a commanding 332 for 4 on Day 1 of their Ranji Trophy match against hosts Hyderabad on Thursday.
South leads by a mere 64 runs, and Central should be able to surmount the target without much fuss on the fifth day on Monday.
Domestic veterans Ruturaj Gaikwad, Rajat Patidar and Rinku Singh could keep the team management interested going forward in Test cricket.
Gaikwad constructed a handy partnership 90 for the second wicket with Aarya Desai as West gradually entered a stabilised phase.
Shreyas Iyer's 604 runs across 17 matches for Punjab Kings at a strike-rate in excess of 175 did not resonate with the selectors during the Asia Cup selection.
