Australia A super-sub Henry Thornton had an extraordinary second day of the second first-class contest with India A, putting the visitors in control despite Sam Konstas’ dismissal amid a mad late stumble in Lucknow.

Thornton starred with bat and ball on Wednesday, while also putting one of India’s leading fast bowlers in doubt for their upcoming Test series, as the hosts were rolled for 194 in reply to the Aussies’ 420.

But after Nathan McSweeney elected to build on his team’s 226-run advantage rather than enforcing the follow-on, the Australia A captain was swiftly called into action as his side slumped to 3-16 by stumps.

Konstas (3) edged his fifth ball from seamer Gurnoor Brar to first slip before his opening partner Campbell Kellaway (duck) followed him off. Oliver Peake (1) was out on the final ball of the day, leaving McSweeney unbeaten on 11 with his side ahead by 242.

Konstas, who is being scrutinised closely given the battle for an Ashes opening berth, finishes the series with 188 runs from four hits having scored a ton in last week’s first match.

The 19-year-old scored 49 in Australia A’s first innings, leaving him short of the type of knockout innings that could put him at the front of the queue to face England in November’s first Test.

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Thornton (32no) and Todd Murphy (76) had commenced the day at the Ekana Stadium by growing their last-wicket partnership to 91 from only 96 balls, both reaching career highs after the visitors resumed on 9-350.

That same pair then decimated the star-studded India A line-up by snaring four of the first five wickets between them and leaving their opponents 5-75 before tea.

India’s Test No.3 Sai Sudharsan (75) dug deep to ensure his side limped closer to the 200-run mark.

Murphy eventually claimed Sudharsan’s prized scalp but it was Thornton (4-36 off 10) who had blown away the hosts, dismissing N Jagadeesan, Devdutt Padikkal and captain Dhruv Jurel in the space of 12 balls after coming on second change.

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“I was really happy,” Thornton said of his bowling effort.

“We had a simple plan to put energy on the ball, bash the top of the stumps and use your sniff (bouncer). I felt like I was in the game bowling that length. Buddha (McSweeney) was really good with the way we wanted to go about it.

“Very pleasing. This is what Australia A is all about. You want to play against the best and see where you’re at, bringing your Shield skills into the next level and see where you stack up against those guys.

“I haven’t really changed anything from what I bowl for the SACA.”

Thornton, a 28-year-old domestic journeyman who has played for Victoria and South Australia after leaving his native NSW, hit Prasidh Krishna in the helmet with a bouncer late in the day.

Krishna initially batted on before retiring hurt and was then later substituted out of the match for Yash Thakur.

A concussion would put Krishna in doubt for India’s Test series opener against West Indies next week, testing India’s pace depth with questions already lingering over whether Jasprit Bumrah will feature.

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“It got him pretty flush,” said Thornton. “I asked him if he was alright and he said he was okay.

“I think it was the delayed kind of concussion. I was going to bowl the next over to him and he started getting headaches and dizziness. It just got him in a really bad spot. I hope he’s all right.”

The performance was some statement from Thornton given he was not originally selected for this series and was only called in as a late injury replacement for Lance Morris.

The right-armer has a remarkable record for Australia A with 21 wickets at 13.66 in seven matches.

He is also fresh off a Sheffield Shield season in which he took 17 wickets in four games but was an unfortunate omission for SA’s final team.

Murphy meanwhile was the pick of the spinners with 2-48 from his 12.5 overs and was ably supported fellow offie Corey Rocchiccioli (1-24 from 13) while Cooper Connolly also snagged a wicket.

That trio will be expected to shoulder a heavy load in the final innings.

“It will be very interesting to see how it plays in the second innings,” said Thornton.

“It’s starting to spin and bounce, it got pretty hard as a quick when the ball went soft.

“Hopefully the boys can pile on some hurt tomorrow and give us a really nice total to bowl at.”

Australia A tour of India

India A four-day squad: Shreyas Iyer (c), Abhimanyu Easwaran, Narayan Jagadeesan (wk), Sai Sudharsan, Dhruv Jurel (vice-captain, wk), Devdutt Padikkal, Harsh Dubey, Ayush Badoni, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Tanush Kotian, Prasidh Krishna, Gurnoor Brar, Khaleel Ahmed, Manav Suthar, Yash Thakur. Second match only: KL Rahul, Mohammed Siraj

Australia A four-day squad: Xavier Bartlett, Cooper Connolly, Jack Edwards, Campbell Kellaway, Sam Konstas, Nathan McSweeney, Todd Murphy, Fergus O’Neill, Oliver Peake, Josh Philippe, Corey Rocchiccioli, Liam Scott, Henry Thornton. Second match only: Will Sutherland

September 16-19: First four-day match: Match drawn

September 23-26: Second four-day match, Ekana Stadium, Lucknow, 3pm AEST

India A one-day squad (first match): Rajat Patidar (c), Prabhsimran Singh (wk), Riyan Parag, Ayush Badoni, Suryansh Shedge, Vipraj Nigam, Nishant Sindhu, Gurjapneet Singh, Yudhvir Singh, Ravi Bishnoi, Abhishek Porel (wk), Priyansh Arya, Simarjeet Singh

India A one-day squad (second and third matches): Tilak Varma (c), Rajat Patidar (vc), Abhishek Sharma, Prabhsimran Singh (wk), Riyan Parag, Ayush Badoni, Suryansh Shedge, Vipraj Nigam, Nishant Sindhu, Gurjapneet Singh, Yudhvir Singh, Ravi Bishnoi, Abhishek Porel (wk), Harshit Rana,  Arshdeep Singh

Australia A one-day squad: Cooper Connolly, Harry Dixon, Jack Edwards, Sam Elliott, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Mackenzie Harvey, Lachlan Hearne, Todd Murphy, Tanveer Sangha, Liam Scott, Lachie Shaw, Tom Straker, Will Sutherland, Henry Thornton

September 30: First one-day match, Green Park, Kanpur, 3pm AEST

October 3: Second one-day match, Green Park, Kanpur, 3pm AEST

October 5: Third one-day match, Green Park, Kanpur, 4pm AEDT