NAGPUR (India), Feb 22: Opener Shiv Sundar Das struck a commanding 105 to put India in complete command against Zimbabwe at the close of the second day of the first Test Friday.

The diminutive batsman produced his second century at Test level, and his second against Zimbabwe, as India reached an imposing 209 for two in reply to the visitor’s first innings of 287.

Das eventually fell to the left-arm spin of Raymond Price in the final over of the day but, with a fluent Rahul Dravid 57 not out and Sachin Tendulkar yet to score, India have paved the way for a substantial total.

Price, who maintained tight control throughout, finished the day with figures of 23-5-64-2, having earlier removed opener Deep Dasgupta for 33.

The 24-year-old Das, who was particularly fluent driving through the off-side, hit 19 fours in 203 balls after almost five hours at the crease.

He shared in a second-wicket partnership of 130 with Dravid before he was eventually dismissed, uppishly cutting Price to Alistair Campbell in the slips.

Before that, Das had dominated both Price and fellow left-arm spinner Grant Flower while Zimbabwe’s pace attack of Heath Streak and 21-year-old Travis Friend struggled to make much of an impact on a perfect batting pitch.

Dravid, returning to the side after missing the recent one-day series at home to England to receive treatment on a shoulder injury, was in fine fettle, striking eight fours in 141 balls.

Earlier, tailender Travis Friend smashed an aggressive 60 not out to lift Zimbabwe after they resumed on their overnight 248 for eight.

The 21-year-old number nine batsman dominated a 59-run ninth wicket partnership with Price, who made 18, before the visitors were dismissed midway through the morning.

Friend’s 70-ball effort, which included eight fours and a six, helped Zimbabwe recover after they had lost their way on a good batting surface following a second-wicket stand of 107 between captain Stuart Carlisle (77) and Alistair Campbell (57).

Friend, 33 not out overnight, played shots with authority as the medium-pacer raced to his fifty in only 70 balls.

He joined Price to frustrate the Indian bowlers before the last two wickets fell in the space of one run to leave Friend stranded.

The pair steered the visitors closer to the 300-run mark which looked unlikely after a middle-order collapse late on the first day.

Friend attacked paceman Javagal Srinath, hoisting his slower delivery for a huge straight six and flicking his next ball to midwicket for another four.

India eventually broke the stand when Price was run out attempting a risky single, failing to beat Anil Kumble’s throw from point to wicket-keeper Dasgupta.

Price had just survived against off-spinner Harbhajan Singh when silly mid-off fielder Vangipurappu Laxman could only get his finger-tips to a bat-pad chance, but was dismissed at the same score.

The Zimbabwe innings ended when Kumble trapped last man Brighton Watambwa leg before for a duck.

The leg-spinner was the most successful bowler, finishing with four for 82.