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Friday, November 23, 2007

India fight back after slow start in Kotla …


A 115-run backs-to-the-wall sixth-wicket stand between VVS Laxman and Mahendra Singh Dhoni brought India back in the first Test as the hosts ended the second day on 228-6 at the Ferozeshah Kotla here on Friday.

India lost half their side for under 100 as Pakistan came roaring back in the second session before Laxman and Dhoni's resolute partnership won them the final two hours despite the fall of Dhoni's wicket for 57.

Laxman remained unconquered on 57 while skipper Anil Kumble was on seven when light was offered to the batsmen, with India only three runs adrift of Pakistan's first innings total.

Dhoni, batting with a sore ankle sustained during the preceding One-Day series, cracked eight brutal boundaries for his seventh fifty, while Laxman was in his element, caressing six fours during a dominating passage of play.

After bowling out Pakistan for 231 in the first innings, India surrendered the initiative when they went into the tea break on 139-5.

Having lost lost opener Dinesh Karthik early with just 15 on the board, former captain Rahul Dravid and Wasim Jaffer came back strongly to go into lunch on 46-1.

But fast bowlers Shoaib Akhtar and SohailTanvir swung the pendulum in the visitors' favour to take charge of the first Test.

Shoaib trapped Wasim Jaffer plumb in front of the stumps for 32 to end a 56-run second wicket stand.

However, Pakistan got the biggest breakthrough when Sachin Tendulkar slipped and failed to make his ground for one two runs later.

Sohail Tanvir, making his Test debut came back for a dream second spell to bowl out Sourav Ganguly for eight and then castled Rahul Dravid (38) with the ball of the day in successive overs, which had India reeling on 93-5 after being 71-1 earlier.

Earlier, Misbah-ul-Haq's brave resistance ended in disastrous fashion when the batsman was run out taking evasive action to a direct hit from Dinesh Kathik after he compiled a dogged 82, ending the highest partnership of the Pakistani innings for 87 runs.

Anil Kumble-led India kept a tight line on the second morning to finish of the Pakistani tail, which frustrated them for a full session on the first day. Kumble finished as the best bowler with 4-38, while Zaheer Khan returned with 2-45.

Mohammad Sami celebrated his return with an impressive 28 not out to support Misbah, who accumulated his first fifty in his seventh Test.

Pakistan finished Day I on 210-8 after Shoaib Malik elected to bat.

Check for the live scorecard below --

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