Ahmedabad, Dec 18: An under-strength Sri Lanka had India on the racks before the home team recovered through their lower order, shepherded by the elegant V V S Laxman, on the first day of the third and final Test here today. Sling-arm style pace bowler Lasith Malinga and ace off spinner Muttiah Muralitharan packed off the Indian top order to have the hosts tottering at 97 for five but Laxman came to the rescue with an unbeaten 71 to bail his team out somewhat. When stumps were drawn after an extended final session of play to make up for the one hour late start, India were 247 for six with Irfan Pathan giving company to Laxman on an unbeaten 39, which contained seven fours. 

'Katradhu Tamizh' Ram's next Diwali in Suburbs Rajini Still In A Dilemma! அஜீத் பேட்டி? ராம் இயக்கத்தில் சேரன்? கமல் பாராட்டிய டைட்டில்்

Laxman first staged the recovery through a fighting sixth-wicket stand with wicketkeeper Mahendra Singh Dhoni, playing only his third Test. 

After Dhoni's fall for a quick-fire 62-ball 49, inclusive of seven fours, Pathan gave another exhibition of clean hitting after having scored 93 as an opener in the previous Test at Delhi, to continue India's recovery. 

Laxman was standing like a rock in his 319-minute stay at the wicket. He faced 194 balls and struck nine meaty fours, and equally importantly, held the lower order together like a glue. 

Laxman and Pathan put on 64 runs for the unfinished seventh wicket in 114 balls after getting together at 183 for six in the extended final session. It was Laxman's 24th half century in his 69th Test and 109th innings. However, the Indians, who won the toss and elected to bat, were still not fully out of the woods, given that the Motera ground is a good batting track. Full credit then should be given to the Lankan's who had to leave out their indisposed frontline pace bowlers Chaminda Vaas and Dilhara Fernando this morning from the eleven. 

Undaunted by the absence of their pace duo, Sri Lanka, trailing the hosts 0-1 and looking out for their first ever Test win on Indian soil, gained the upper hand by sending back four top order Indian batsman in the second session of play after the home team had made a brisk start in the opening session. 

India, 51 for one at lunch, slumped to 125 for five in 45 overs at tea before Laxman and the attacking wicketkeeper batsman Dhoni, who missed his second half century by just one run in his fourth Test innings, stemmed the rot with a stand of 86 for the sixth wicket in 132 balls. 

The hosts lost the wickets of stand-in captain Virender Sehwag (20) Sachin Tendulkar (23), Yuvraj Singh (0) and Mohammed Kaif (4) in the second period of play after having lost opener Gautam Gambhir (19) cheaply before lunch. While Sehwag and Kaif threw away their wickets by failing to read the angle of Malinga's deliveries, Tendulkar was undone by a sharp break from Muralitharan who then sent back the under-pressure Yuvraj Singh for a duck two balls later at the same score of 88. (Agencies)

Published: Sunday, December 18, 2005