A grimly determined Gautam Gambhir and a serene Sachin Tendulkar took India to 142 for two at stumps on the second day of the deciding third Test against South Africa on Monday.
After Jacques Kallis had struck a masterful 161 to lift the hosts to 362 all out, Gambhir survived three chances to reach 65 not out and Tendulkar showed all the experience of his 176 Tests to get to stumps on 49.
The pair shared a vital third-wicket stand of 114 in nearly three hours after India had slumped to 28 for two shortly before tea, leaving the match in the balance as top-ranked India seek their first series win in South Africa.
Tendulkar’s only scare came on 24 when left-arm spinner Paul Harris thought he had trapped him lbw but umpire Simon Taufel gave the batsman the benefit of the doubt with replays showing the ball would have hit the outside of leg stump.
It was another top-class display of batsmanship by test cricket’s leading run-scorer who stroked five fours.
Gambhir and Tendulkar lifted India after Virender Sehwag (13) and Rahul Dravid (5) were dismissed inside the first 11 overs.
Diving catch
Gambhir edged a drive off left-arm seamer Lonwabo Tsotsobe to gully, where Alviro Petersen was unable to hold a difficult diving catch. But AB de Villiers reacted quickly, sliding to stop the ball, quickly getting back to his feet and throwing down the stumps as Dravid attempted a quick single.
India earlier struggled to kill off the South African innings as the last two wickets added 79 runs with Kallis well supported by tailenders Harris and Tsotsobe.
The touring side looked set to bowl the hosts out when Shanthakumaran Sreesanth struck twice in his first over with the new ball.
Sreesanth bowled Ashwell Prince for 47 with a magnificent ball that jagged back sharply and the next delivery nipped away to have Mark Boucher caught behind for a golden duck.
Sreesanth added the wicket of Morne Morkel, caught behind for eight edging a wild drive, in a marvellous spell of three for 29 that gave him his third five-wicket haul in tests.
Zaheer Khan chipped in with the wicket of Dale Steyn, caught behind for a duck, but Harris hung around as 27 runs were added for the ninth wicket.
Kallis and Australian Ricky Ponting have scored 39 Test centuries, joint second on the all-time list behind Tendulkar who has 50. – Reuters