Rahul Dravid’s patient knock of 80 helped India take a useful first innings lead against South Africa in the second and final Test at Eden Gardens on Tuesday.
India reached 359-6 at stumps on the third day in reply to South Africa’s 305.
Dravid’s laborious five-hour knock, in which he faced 217 deliveries and hit eight boundaries, was a good sheet-anchor role while others came up with cameo knocks to boost the total.
Sourav Ganguly (40), Venkatsai Laxman (38) and Dinesh Karthik (35 not out) chipped in to give the home side the advantage after a hard day’s batting on a dry pitch.
Irfan Pathan (21) was partnering Karthik when play ended early because of bad light. India had added 230 runs off 86.2 overs after starting the day on 129-1.
Dravid, 33 overnight, played some fine shots early in the morning but went back into his shell after the fall of opener Virender Sehwag.
The Indian vice-captain though felt the team had not been subdued.
”We haven’t lost the momentum and I thought things were pretty even as regards the pace of the match. Ideally, we should have scored 40 to 50 runs more and lost a couple of wickets fewer,” said Dravid.
He was out trying to cut a ball from seamer Andrew Hall which he dragged back on to the stumps.
Captain Ganguly went a little later when umpire Simon Taufel ruled him out lbw to seamer Zander de Bruyn — even as replays clearly showed the ball had pitched outside the line of leg stump.
Ganguly was earlier dropped in the covers by Jacques Rudolph off leg-spinner Justing Ontong when on 30.
Venkatsai Laxman also fell when he looked set for a big score but Karthik and Pathan added 51 runs for the unbroken seventh wicket stand.
”I thought Pathan and Karthik have done a fine job and their partnership has helped put pressure on the South African side,” said Dravid.
”It would be great if we could get 100-odd runs tomorrow, which could give us a chance to try and win the match,” he added.
”Even though they don’t have quality spinners, we should not forget that we will be batting last on this pitch, which we expect will help spinners as the match progresses,” said Dravid.
Earlier in the morning session, Virender Sehwag (88) missed out on what could have been his ninth century in 29 Tests.
The big-hitting batsman hit only the fourth delivery he faced on Tuesday morning for a six, reading a slower one from paceman Shaun Pollock, but they were the only runs he got after resuming on 82.
Makhaya Ntini surprised him with a bouncer that Sehwag tried to fend off. But the ball carried from his gloves towards Graeme Smith at slip, who took the catch running in.
Sehwag hit 11 fours and two sixes during his 118-ball knock and was associated in a 127-run partnership for the second wicket with Dravid.
Sachin Tendulkar (20) was bowled by seamer de Bruyn off an inside edge.
The first match in the two-Test series was drawn. – Sapa-AFP