India vs England 2012: Mumbai Test, Day 1 - As it happened

Highlights from the frist day of the Mumbai Test between India and England.

Zeenews Sports Bureau/Feroz Khan

SCORECARD I HIGHLIGHTS I REPORT Cheteshwar Pujara cracked his second consecutive Test century as India recovered from a precarious situation to restore the balance in the second cricket Test against England. HERE IS HOW THE DAY PANNED OUT: INDIA Over: 90 II Score: 266/6 ( Pujara 114*, Ashwin 60*) So, at stumps India will feel happy while England will feel a little let down as the seventh wicket partnership between India Pujara and Ashwin has brought them back into the second Test. On a pitch that was offering turn and bounce right from the word go, Indian batsmen were put to swords as Monty Panesar rocked their top order taking four crucial wickets. Thanks to a brilliant century from Pujara and some strokeful batting from Ashwin, the hosts managed to recover from 169/6. The stand for the seventh wicket is now worth 97 – the highest of the match so far. ==================================================================================== INDIA Over: 86 II Score: 258/6 ( Pujara 113*, Ashwin 53*) R Ashwin has completed his half century. He reached the landmark after attempting to pull a shirt one from Broad that ballooned over Prior’s head after taking the top edge. He has hit eight boundaries. Pujara has faced 264 deliveries and has 10 boundaries while Ashwin has played 69 balls and has 9 boundaries. ==================================================================================== INDIA Over: 83 II Score: 246/6 ( Pujara 106*, Ashwin 48*) R Ashwin has collected three boundaries from Anderson’s 14th over. The first one was guided behind point; the second was played fine while the third was pulled over square leg for four. 12 runs from the over. He is nearing a Test fifty. ==================================================================================== INDIA Over: 81 II Score: 232/6 ( Pujara 105*, Ashwin 35*) Another century from the new ‘Wall’. This should bring him more satisfaction than any of his previous knocks. It has come under pressure and in some probing conditions. He reached the milestone in style with a pull towards deep backward square region off James Anderson. ==================================================================================== INDIA Over: 80 II Score: 224/6 ( Pujara 99*, Ashwin 33*) The current partnership is now worth 55. Pujara is just a single away from his third Test ton. ==================================================================================== INDIA Over: 74 II Score: 212/6 ( Pujara 94*, Ashwin 26*) Pujara and the thin crowd present at the Wankhede stadium heaved a collective sigh of relief as the third umpire signalled him not out. Pujara went for a pull off Swann in the 74th over and the ball looked to have hit Cook at short leg and then being caught at midwicket. The dismissal was referred to the third umpire and it turned out that the ball actually bounced off the ground before being caught. Would have been an unfortunate dismissal! ==================================================================================== INDIA Over: 68 II Score: 198/6 ( Pujara 88*, Ashwin 18*) R Ashwin has played some beautiful strokes here after coming in to bat following the departure of Dhoni. He struck back-to-back boundaries off pacer Stuart Broad. Three boundaries have come off his bat so far. Do remember that he has a Test century to his name. ==================================================================================== INDIA Over: 62 II Score: 169/6 ( Pujara 77*, Ashwin 0*) Monty Panesar struck immediately after tea as he picked up India skipper MS Dhoni for 29. The ball jumpped again and took the outside edge of Dhoni's bat which was brilliantly caught by Graeme Swann standing at gully. ==================================================================================== INDIA (AT TEA) Over: 60 II Score: 167/5 ( Pujara 77*, Dhoni 27*) The second session has seen India making some recovery with captain MS Dhoni and Cheteshwar Pujara adding 48 runs for the sixth wicket. 80 runs have been scored in 32 overs after lunch with India losing the wickets of Yuvraj and Kohli. ==================================================================================== INDIA Over: 55 II Score: 156/5 ( Pujara 70*, Dhoni 23*) James Anderson is now back into the attack. Monty Panesar has been given a breather after firing in 23 overs. The score has moved beyond 150-run mark. ==================================================================================== INDIA Over: 50 II Score: 143/5 ( Pujara 63*, Dhoni 18*) Two boundaries have been scored in the last five overs, both coming from the bat of MS Dhoni. Monty is bowling tight and building pressure. He almost had his fourth wicket in Pujara when Anderson dropped him after diving from second slip. The ball turned and bounced while taking an edge that could have resulted in India losing their sixth wicket. It was a difficult chance though. ==================================================================================== INDIA Over: 45 II Score: 128/5 ( Pujara 59*, Dhoni 7*) It will be interesting to see what approach will MS Dhoni adopt to advance the Indian innings on a pitch that is offering turn and bounce on the opening day (just as Dhoni had asked for!). Will he attack or defend? Meanwhile, Pujara is making the pitch look comfortable for batting everytime he has been on the strike. ==================================================================================== INDIA Over: 40 II Score: 119/5 ( Pujara 57*, Dhoni 0*) Another Indian wicket goes down!!! This time Graeme Swann castles Yuvraj Singh. The ball doesn’t turned quite as much as it Swann angled one to Yuvi. The ball missed the outside edge and crashed on the off stump. He went for a duck. India have lost half of their side as captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni walks in. ==================================================================================== INDIA Over: 39 II Score: 118/4 ( Pujara 56*, Yuvraj 0*) And Monty gets his third wicket. His inclusion into the English side has done a world of good to them it seems. Tossed up and Virat Kohli attempts a drive. The ball goes towards extra cover as Nick Compton takes a good catch. Kohli is livid with himself. He scored 19 (55b, 4X3). India are four wickets down. ==================================================================================== INDIA Over: 35 II Score: 103/3 ( Pujara 51*, Kohli 9*) He just loves scoring runs!!! Doesn’t he? Cheteshwar Pujara has completed yet another Test half-century with a boundary towards midwicket region. He has hit five boundaries so far in the innings and is yet to be dismissed in this series. ==================================================================================== INDIA Over: 29 II Score: 90/3 ( Pujara 40*, Kohli 7*) The post lunch session is underway and it’s Monty Panesar who has begun the proceedings. Gives away three runs off his first three deliveries. Manages to keep Kohli quiet in his next three. ==================================================================================== INDIA (AT LUNCH) Over: 28 II Score: 87/3 ( Pujara 38*, Kohli 6*) So after the end of first session of play, England have managed to stay ahead of India. They have got three crucial wickets that include Gambhir, Sehwag and Tendulkar. Monty Panesar has two wickets to his name – Tendulkar and Sehwag – and clearly has been the top bowler for England at lunch. The responsibility to steer Indian innings now rests on the young shoulders of Cheteshwar Pujara and Virat Kohli. Alastair Cook looked dissappointed after losing the toss in the morning but should now be satisfied with the performance of his bowlers. ==================================================================================== INDIA Over: 24 II Score: 81/3 ( Pujara 34*, Kohli 6*) Grame Swann has been introduced into the attack. Kohli drives his third delivery for a boundary through covers. Spin in operation for the first time in this Test from both the ends. ==================================================================================== INDIA Over: 18.6 II Score: 60/3 ( Pujara 17*, Sachin 8) And that’s the big fish!!! After Sehwag it’s Sachin Tendulkar who has been castled by Monty Panesar. The first ball that spun has got the better of the Master. The ball was pitched on the middle, Tendulkar looked to flick it but it went past him to hit the stumps. He scored 8 (12b, 4X1). In walks the new poster boy of Indian cricket Virat Kohli. ==================================================================================== INDIA Over: 16.2 II Score: 52/2 (Sehwag 30, Pujara 17*) And Sehwag has been bowled!!! Monty Panesar has given England the breakthrough by castling Sehwag. It was a half volley that Sehwag tried to play across. He missed it and the ball sneaked past his bat to hit the off stump. He scored 30 (43b, 4X4). Sachin Tendulkar is the new man in. ==================================================================================== INDIA Over: 15 II Score: 52/1 (Sehwag 30*, Pujara 17*) 15 overs have been bowled and still Alastair Cook hasn’t thrown the ball to Graeme Swann who took five wickets in the first innings of the Ahmedabad Test. Meanwhile, India have completed 50 runs after losing their opening batsman Gautam Gambhir off the second ball of the morning. ==================================================================================== INDIA Over: 10 II Score: 36/1 (Sehwag 17*, Pujara 14*) So 10 overs have been bowled in the Indian innings and the pitch is offering something for the seamers. Sehwag who is playing in his 100th Test would be eyeing a double – a century in his 100th match. Partnering him in the middle is Pujara who has been watchful in this first session so far. Monty Panesar, who has been included into the side as another specialist spinner, gave nine runs in his first over. Sehwag and Pujara scored a boundary each from the over. ==================================================================================== INDIA Over: 2 II Score: 11/2 Virender Sehwag gets off the mark with a boundary by playing on the up and sending the ball between extra cover and mid-off for a boundary. ==================================================================================== INDIA Over: 1.2 II Score: 4/1 What a dramatic start to the second Test!!! James Anderson got the new ball and bowled the first one on Gautam Gambhir’s leg. The southpaw puts that away for a boundary. The next ball hits Gambhir on the pads. Anderson asks the question and to his delight, umpire Tony Hill raises his finger. In walks first match double centurion Cheteshwar Pujara. ==================================================================================== TOSS: Indian captain MS Dhoni won the toss and elected to bat first. In Virender Sehwag’s 100th Test, India will look to tighten their grip over the four-match series to taken an unassailable lead when they take field in Mumbai on Friday. Already 1-0 up in what has been touted as the `revenge series`, another victory for Mahendra Singh Dhoni`s men will ensure that England`s quest for their first series win on Indian soil in 27 years will continue. It will also keep Indian on track for a whitewash and avenge the 4-0 defeat they suffered during their last tour to England. Teams: India: Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, Cheteshwar Pujara, Sachin Tendulkar, Virat Kohli, Yuvraj Singh, MS Dhoni(w/c), Ravichandran Ashwin, Harbhajan Singh, Zaheer Khan, Pragyan Ojha England: Alastair Cook(c), Nick Compton, Jonathan Trott, Kevin Pietersen, Jonathan Bairstow, Samit Patel, Matt Prior(w), Graeme Swann, Stuart Broad, James Anderson, Monty Panesar