Dravid, Gambhir Set Up India

India put themselves in a commanding position aftercenturies from Gautam Gambhir and Rahul Dravid ensured the visitors another hugetotal against Bangladesh in the second and final Test today.

Left-handed opener Gambhir (139) cracked his maidenTest hundred while vice-captain Dravid his 18th to become the first batsman everto score centuries in all ten Test playing countries as India reached 334 fortwo at close on the first day.

Dravid was unbeaten on 145 with Sachin Tendulkar 36 notout at the other end at close, but it was Gambhir's rollicking innings that putthe team on a roll after Saurav Ganguly elected to bat on a pitch that shonelike marble in the morning sun.

While the Indians made merry with their top order batsmen feasting on theeasy-paced track at the M A Aziz Stadium, it turned out to be a day of hard toilfor the hosts. Dravid's century also meant that he surpassed Dilip Vengsarkar(17 centuries) to perch himself on the fourth place in the list of most centurymakers for India. Tendulkar, Sunil Gavaskar (both 34) and Mohammad Azharuddin(22) top the charts.

Gambhir slammed 19 fours during his 196-ball knock thatcompensated for his cheap dismissal in the first Test when he was run out aftera mix up with Tendulkar in Dhaka.

His opening partner Virender Sehwag was the onlybatsman to miss out on the party when he edged Mashrafe Mortaza to HabibulBashar at first slip in the fifth over of the innings.

But Gambhir's unrestrained shotmaking quickly took thisinitiative away from the hosts and his partnership for the second wicket withDravid, worth 223 runs from 346 balls, negated Bangladesh's early advantage.

Dravid was content to allow his younger partner enjoythe limelight but smoothly accelerated to his 18th hundred with 14 fours from196 balls and 226 minutes.

Bangladesh celebrated their 34th Independence Dayyesterday, but there was no light at the end of the tunnel for the beleagueredTest minnows as the Indians sent them on a leather hunt.

The bowlers struggled to find the right line and length on a pitch that promisedtons of runs while the fielders failed to lift their standards and concededquite a few extras. Mortaza lacked support at the other end as 17-year-oldNazmul Hossain, making his maiden Test appearance which also turned out to behis first-class debut, failed to impress much although he did succeed in bowlingout Gambhir later in the day.

Medium pacer Talha Jubair, playing his first matchafter a gap of nearly 14 months following an injury, proved no better whileleft-arm spinners Mohammad Rafique and Manjural Islam Rana acted as mere cannonfodder for the marauding Indians.

From the moment Gambhir struck four fours off Jubairearly in the innings, it became clear the hosts were in for a long day atoffice.

The Delhi batsman reached his 50 with a boundary to thepoint fence from 60 balls with 10 fours and kept playing his strokes withoutinhibition. The left-hander was severe on Rafique whom he repeatedly drovethrough the on side.

Gambhir, who had got out on 96 against South Africa atKanpur earlier this season, was not to be denied today. A single to mid-off gavehis first Test hundred and the youngster celebrated with some fist pumping.

Dravid was solid as ususal and he played a sensibleknock, leaving the run making mostly to Gambhir but did not waste the looseballs, which were plenty on offer today.

The century helped Dravid break a bad patch and gave him his first century thisseason in eight Tests. His driving was impeccable and although he looked tiredtowards the end of the day, he retained the concentration to play some sweep andpull shots.

Tendulkar, who scored his record 34th century in Dhaka,seemed to continue from where he left off as he struck six fours to race to 36from 54 balls.

The run rate hovered around four throughout the day andprobably dipped a bit after the dismissal of Gambhir.

Earlier, the Indians retained the team that won thefirst Test by an innings and 140 runs in Dhaka while the hosts made threechanges.

Hossain came in for medium pacer Tapash Baisya, who wasdown with a sore back, for his maiden Test appearance. AftabAhmed and Jubair replaced Rajin Saleh and Mushfiqur Rahman in the other twochanges.

PTI