Tendulkar sets the tone for Sehwag

The legendary status of India's Sachin Tendulkar was further embellished with a sublime century on the opening day of the First Test against South Africa at Good-year Park, Bloemfontein, yesterday. But a young pretender to his batting crown also announced himself with a debut century as India recovered from a poor start to reach 372 for 7 by the close.

The "little master" became the youngest player to reach 7,000 Test runs aged 28. He struck a fluent 155 and shared in a stand of 220 with Virender Sehwag after South Africa put the tourists in and picked up four cheap wickets.

Tendulkar is the second Indian to pass that milestone after Sunil Gavaskar, and he also moved alongside Australian captain Steve Waugh in fourth place on the all-time list of Test centurions with 26.

Tendulkar counter-attacked after India lost their captain Saurav Ganguly, before lunch at 68 for 4. His hundred came off just 114 balls, and by the time he was caught in the deep by Neil McKenzie off a careless swat at the paceman Makhaya Ntini, he had registered his 155 in a little under four hours, facing 184 balls and hitting 23 fours and a six.

The South African attack visibly wilted in the second session as 132 runs were scored without loss. Sehwag, 23, grew in confidence as the pitch's early menace disappeared. His first half-century included 10 fours and he reached three figures after just over four hours. He was bowled by Shaun Pollock soon after for 105 after facing 173 balls and striking 19 boundaries. Sehwag was the first Indian to hit a century on his debut since Ganguly at Lord's in 1996.

Another debutant, wicketkeeper Deep Dasgupta, was left on 29 not out at the close. The latter part of the final session was played under floodlights due to poor light, the first time this action has been taken since the International Cricket Council introduced the mandatory use of lights, where available, on 1 October.

Pollock's decision to bowl first was based on an unusually green track and both he and Mornantau Hayward, returning to Test cricket after an absence of over a year, gained substantial movement and bounce in the first hour. Pollock induced the makeshift opener Rahul Dravid to edge a sharp, rising ball to Jacques Kallis at second slip. Fellow opener Shiv Sunder Das then edged a fierce delivery from Hayward onto his stumps.

VVS Laxman was unlucky to be dismissed for 32 as he gloved a pull at an innocuous delivery from Hayward. Ganguly made 14 before he spliced a vicious delivery from Kallis towards gully, Gary Kirsten diving to take a brilliant catch.