RAWALPINDI, April 14: India maintained their ascendancy in the crucial third and final Test against Pakistan with vice-captain Rahul Dravid standing out with an unconquered 134 on the second day at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium here on Wednesday.

Dravid's knock helped the touring team to a comfortable 342 for four by the close of play, a first innings lead of 118 on a day the home bowling attack could achieve little success.

Dravid's century, his first against Pakistan and the 17th of his career, boosted India's total after they had begun the day at 23 for one, replying to the home side's first innings score of 224.

Given two lives on way to his century, Dravid featured in three significant partnerships, putting on 129 for the second wicket with makeshift opener Parthiv Patel and then adding 131 in a fourth wicket stand with V.V.S. Laxman.

Dravid was also involved in an unbroken 81-run fifth wicket partnership with his skipper Saurav Ganguly, who was 53 not out at the day end. Runs also flowed from the bats of Patel who scored 69 and Laxman, whose contribution was a fine 71.

In his massive knock, Dravid smashed 19 boundaries in a 455-minute stay at the wicket during which he faced 314 balls while Ganguly's innings that required 72 deliveries was laced with eight fours.

Speed king Shoaib Akhtar snared the prize wicket of dangerman Sachin Tendulkar, sending him back for one before the tea break and later also added Laxman's scalp with a full toss that struck the batsman's middle stump.

Shoaib, who had rocked India by taking the wicket of Virender Sehwag off his first ball of the innings on Tuesday, finished with three for 47, while Fazle Akbar, had Patel caught behind by Kamran Akmal, for his only wicket of the day.

It was a tough opening session for the Pakistan bowlers who were unable to get the much-needed breakthrough as Dravid and Patel, the overnight not out batsmen, batted confidently on a wicket not helping the seamers as much as it did on the first day.

The two carried their side to 119 for one by lunch, with Patel, 13 not out overnight, reaching his third Test half century off 90 balls as he blasted nine fours on the way. At the break, Patel was unbeaten 65 while Dravid had 45 to his credit.

Dravid got to the 50-mark soon after the interval for what was his 33rd fifty in Test matches and only his second against Pakistan. He smashed six fours and faced 132 balls.

Patel's fine innings had only one scar - the batsman being given a life by Imran Farhat, who dropped him in the gully off Fazle at his personal score of 67. But he claimed his wicket soon afterwards, having him caught by Kamran for 69, bringing to an end a healthy second wicket partnership.

More success came through Shoaib who sent Tendulkar on his way off the very first ball of his third spell, Kamran taking a regulation catch behind the stumps. Dravid, was put down by Yasir Hameed in the gully when on 71 off Mohammad Sami and then survived a caught behind appeal at the score of 77 from a Danish Kaneria delivery.

Television replays showed he was out but TV umpire Zamir Haider decided otherwise, much to everyone's surprise. Aided by these chances, it became increasingly obvious that Dravid would get to the three-figure mark and he did in the last session of play.

India, 203 for three at tea, then zoomed past Pakistan's first innings total through a Laxman boundary who also collected his half-century in so doing.

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