BANGALORE, March 26: Pakistan bowlers got the Virender Sehwag treatment on day three of the second cricket Test as the hard-hitting batsman ran riot stroking his way to a marvelous double century but the tourists hit back to stay on top at the Chinnaswamy Stadium.
Responding to Pakistan’s mammoth first innings score of 570, Sehwag’s heroics helped India reach 379 for six wickets by the close of play when they trailed by 191 runs and with two full days of play remaining.
Three wickets in the last session, including that of skipper Saurav Ganguly left India on the back foot as they have been so far in this Test, which Pakistan desperately need to win in order to square the three-match series.
Sehwag, who had set Mohali ablaze with a brilliant 173 in the first Test, was at his very best again and treated the touring bowlers with disdain in an epic innings that enthralled a virtually packed house.
Every boundary was cheered and each single applauded by the fans as the Delhi batsman unleashed his magic after India had begun the day at 55 for no loss.
The 28-year-old had indicated only on Friday what his intentions were after plucking 39 runs off only 33 deliveries. And he picked up from where he had left off, blazing his way to his 10th Test century shortly after lunch and then transformed it into a double century after tea. Completely dominating the Pakistan bowling,
Sehwag was a class act and the 24 boundaries and two sixes that he fired to the fence were a treat to watch, all well-timed and well-struck.
For the runs that he got, he was at the crease for 335 minutes and he faced 262 balls.
Sehwag’s innings though had just one blemish, the batsman being let off when on 43 Asim Kamal failing to hold on to a very difficult chance, fielding at short leg. But India’s run-churning machine continued to bat on, showing no lapse in concentration and his century was up in 170 minutes.
The double, which was his second, followed in the 83rd over. The only Indian to have a triple century to his credit, Sehwag also crossed his 3000 Test runs mark and featured in four significant partnership, the most profitable being his 98-run stand with Gautam Ghambir for the first wicket.
Sehwag who was the fastest Indian to get to the 3000 milestone, eventually fell caught and bowled to Kaneria with India 337-4, needing another 34 more runs to avoid follow-on.
The needful was done in the 95th over by the pair of VVS Laxman and Dinesh Kaarthick.
Muhammad Sami, who was under fire for not pitching the ball right in this series, snapped up the wicket of Ghambir in the morning for 24 and had two scalps for the day. Off-spinner Arshad Khan, coming into the side after 51 months however went wicket-less.
Ghambir’s wicket was the only success the tourists had before lunch which was taken with India 147 for one.
But the second session proved quite fruitful – the rewards coming in the shape of Rahul Dravid and Sachin Tendulkar’s scalps that raised Pakistan’s hopes and by tea the homes side were 274-3.
Dravid, with a hundred in each innings in Kolkata last week was involved in a 74-run partnership with Sehwag before being trapped lbw for 22 by leggie Danish Kaneria, who finished with 3-97 in his 26 overs.
Tendulkar, failed again to get that elusive 35th Test century that would earn him a world record. Looking nervous from the start he added 85 runs for the third wicket and Sami troubled him quite a bit.
Taken in the covers region by Younis Khan just when Afridi had been brought into the attack, the master batsman had to be content with 41 that had seven fours.
Ganguly’s poor run with the bat continued and was given a life by Younis fielding at silly mid on but the captain who had managed only 24 runs in two innings in Kolkata, could not cash in on the opportunity.
He was stumped soon afterwards by Kamran Akmal off Kaneria. As shadows lengthened, Dinesh Kaarthick’s wicket, snared by Sami made things difficult for India but still for them the consolation was that Laxman was still at the crease having scored 51 in which he struck seven boundaries.
