India Shining

India were shining at the end of the second day's play in the series-decidingthird Test against Pakistan, who ran into Rahul Dravid as the 'Wall's' gritty unbeaten century put his team incommand.

A first innings lead of 118 with six wickets intact has put India on the road to their first ever Test series winagainst the arch-rivals on their home soil.

Placed at 342 for four at close of play in reply to Pakistan's 224, India would be looking to pile on a huge leadand then press for victory with the series standing one-all.

Besides Dravid, the visitors owed their happy position to superb knocks by opener Parthiv Patel (69), VVS Laxman (71)and skipper Saurav Ganguly, batting on 53.

Vice-captain Dravid, who came in to bat at the fall of Virender Sehwag yesterday,played with characteristic determination through the day for his unbeaten 134, his first century against Pakistan and 17thoverall in Tests. He anchored the Indian innings and saw it through periods of crisis.

It was a frustrating day for Pakistan, who found the going tough against the strong Indian batting line-up althoughSachin Tendulkar failed by scoring only one run. The home side did not help its cause by dropping catches, including that ofDravid when he was on 71.

Bowling consistently over 150 kmph, "Rawalpindi Express" Shoaib Akhtar gave an exhibition of fast-bowling at its bestin three spells including one in which he removed Tendulkar with a searing delivery. 

Shoaib, who was the pick of the bowlers with 3 for 47, had to leave the field in the post-tea session after he fellon his follow through in his 22nd over, hurting his left hand.

Earlier, India slumped to 130 for three from a comfortable 129 for one shortly after the lunch break withPatel and Tendulkar being dismissed in quick succession.

But Dravid and Laxman built the innings again with a fine exhibition of stroke play and caution.

The duo, who have been involved in a couple of epic partnerships in the past, put on 131 runs for the fourthwicket before Shoaib sent Laxman's middle stump flying with a lightning full toss.

Ganguly, who joined the action after Laxman's dismissal, seemed to be in superb touch as he accelerated the pace ofscoring with a barrage of shots while Dravid was content playing second fiddle.

Resuming at the overnight score of 23 for one, both Patel and Dravid played sensibly in the morning session as they wentabout collecting the runs without taking any risk on a track which had eased out to a great extent after offering alot of assistance to the pace bowlers on the opening day.

Mohammed Sami and Shoaib began the bowling operations in the morning but barring a couple of balls which found the edgeor rapped the batsmen on the pads, they could not provide the early breakthrough the home team desperately needed.

The dependable Dravid, who had not managed a big score in the Test series till now, executed the first confident shot byelegantly flicking Shoaib to the fine leg fence.

The diminutive Patel, who was sent to open the innings alongwith Sehwag, also looked quite comfortable inthe middle and unleashed some delightful shots on both sides of the wicket, slamming Sami for twoconsecutive boundaries to bring India's 50 on the board in the 24th over. 

Pakistan skipper Inzamam-ul Haq introduced spinner Danish Kaneria just before the drinks break. Although he bowled a tidy line andlength, the two overnight batsmen had little trouble in  playing him. 

After the lunch break, the visitors lost the prized wicket of Patel and Tendulkar.

Patel, who was middling the ball quite well during his 203 minute vigil at the crease, edged an outside the off stumpdelivery from Fazl-e-Akbar to see Kamran Akmal take a superb diving catch behind the stumps. Patel faced 141 balls during hisknock of 69 which contained ten boundaries.

The Indians then suffered a huge jolt when Tendulkar returned to the pavilion, falling to  Shoaib's very first ball after the lunch break. The star batsman was surprisedby a rising delivery  which he edged to Akmal behind the stumps, as India were reduced to 130 for three from a comfortable 129 for one. 

The fall of the two quick wickets did not seem to have any effect on the unflappable Dravid and Laxman who marked hisreturn to Test form with some exhilarating strokeplay. The touch artiste gave glimpses of hisform in Australia with some trademark wristy shots and was particularly aggressive afterthe tea break as he smashed one boundary after another to help his team overtake Pakistan's first innings total without anyfurther casualties. 

Dravid got a reprieve when he was on 71 as Yasir Hameed dropped a regulation catchat gully with Sami being the unlucky bowler. Hameed, who had taken the stunning catch of Sehwag yesterday, got his hands to the ball but couldnot latch on to it even in his second attempt.

PTI