Sehwag makes hay while sun shines

India made the most of what little play there was on a rain-hit second day of the first Test in Mohali to make a dent in Pakistan's first innings total.

India made the most of what little play there was on a rain-hit second day of the first Test in Mohali to make a dent in Pakistan's first innings total.

Chasing the tourists' 312 all out, India raced to 184 for 1 in 40 overs before bad light brought play to a close. Virender Sehwag led with an unbeaten 95 off 121 balls while Gautam Gambhir made 41 and Rahul Dravid 39 not out after the players had spent the first half of the day waiting for the persistent drizzle to cease.

Once it did the home side were quickly out of the blocks. Sehwag and Gambhir put on a century stand for the first wicket at a run a ball before the latter fell at 117. Seeking to add to his seven boundaries, Gambhir came down the wicket to Danish Kaneria but, in trying to loft the leg-spinner over mid-off, found Naved-ul-Hasan in the deep.

Pakistan might have had more success had they managed to take a chance offered by Sehwag early on.

The explosive batsman had only made 15 when he edged a ball from Mohammad Sami into the slip cordon. Taufeeq Umar, standing at third slip, should have taken the catch but the ball went to ground and Sehwag was handed a life.

It was a let-off the 26-year-old was not about to waste, and Pakistan could be made to pay a heavy price today for not getting rid of Sehwag when they had the chance.

He made his highest Test score, 309, against Pakistan in Multan last March and in five innings - including his current one - against his country's arch-rivals he has now scored 533 runs at an average of 133.