INDIA'S mammoth 675 means that Pakistan's first objective is to make 476 and avoid the follow on and then take it from there. Pakistan batted for 16 overs and had made 42 somewhat nervous runs but did not lose a wicket.
One caught a sight of Saqlain Mushtaq padded up to come in as night watchman and one dreaded the prospect of Pakistan's batting plan come apart.
In the 16 overs India bowled it used five bowlers and both Kumble and Virender Sehwag nearly struck. Both Taufiq Omar and Imran Farat looked understandably anxious but it says something for their resolve that they held fast.
The loss of a wicket would have been a giant step forward by India. A measure of calmness should return to the two young openers. They don't need to be told that there are three days still left in this Test and there is no bus or train to catch.
Sehwag deserves to be saluted for his monumental 309. He joins an elite club. His innings has set up India to win this Test and unless someone can bat like him for Pakistan he would have played a truly match-winning innings.
Of course, he was lucky. A batsman who plays like him, in such a cavalier fashion and with so much aggression, needs luck. He got in all four lives and might have been run out too had Abdul Razzak been more alert. But he rode his luck, cashed in on his good fortune.
Tendulkar had his heart set on a double hundred. That was evident from the time he came into bat. But it was a pre-planned innings and eliminated any risk-taking. It was, in a sense, an untypical innings for he likes to dominate the bowling.
Even when he had Yuvraj as his partner and Yuvraj was going hell for leather and reached his 50 in double quick time, he showed no urgency. His captain showed immense patience for he was eager to have a go at Pakistan.
He even sent Tendulkar a message. In the end, he was forced to declare, leaving Tendulkar stranded at 194. Given that Tendulkar enjoys a status that is close to that of worship, it was a gutsy declaration for the little champion could not have been amused.
Rahul Dravid set a high example for captains to follow - the interest of the team comes first. Pakistan's bowlers struggled on a lifeless pitch but they made a better fist of it though the score-card may not show it. They were more wholehearted. Shoaib Akhtar did not get a wicket but he did not allow his shoulder to droop.
Sami was sharp and Shabbir Ahmed could not conceal his agony as he saw two catches go down almost back to back in a single over to Sehwag. In the same over the batsman got the benefit of the doubt in a leg-before decision.
What should we make of Pakistan's fielding? It is not enough to say that it was deplorable. It was also irresponsible for the catches dropped showed a lack of skills compounded by a lack of concentration. The sad fact is that we have known that this is a weak area but no one seems bothered to improve it.
It is almost as if we believe that batting and bowling is all there is to cricket. And even bowling is treated as a step-child. Let me put it as delicately as possible: we haven't done the sort of homework that such a vital series needed. Less delicately, we are flying by the seat of our pants without radar and even without a compass.
Pakistan has a huge task ahead of it. India has the runs on the board to keep attacking fields all through the innings. It has variety in its bowling and even such a perfect batting wicket is subject to wear and tear and Anil Kumble is looking dangerous.
There was no reverse swing on the first day but there was some on the second day. India has the bowlers who can get reverse swing. All this means that the Pakistan batsmen will have to show great resolve.
Even the best batting wicket is unforgiving of carelessness, and the concentration-level will have to be high but Pakistan must stay positive. Other teams have come back from worse positions.
So far there has been little to cheer for Pakistan supporters. Who knows this can change? Pakistan must salvage something from this Test. There are two more to play.
