Bengaluru: Rest of India managed to eke out a slender 20-run first innings lead against Ranji Trophy champions Karnataka on the second day of the five-day Irani Cup match here on Wednesday to put the contest on a knife's edge.

A battling 78 (106b, 13x4) by Maharashtra's Kedar Jadhav held the Rest of India innings together and then Varun Aaron returned to torment the hosts as a tailender as the visitors recovered from 102/5 to 264 all out in response to Karnataka's 244.