By IANS,
Kolkata: After quickly running through the England tail taking the remaining four wickets, India started off cautiously in the second innings but gradually upped the ante adding 86 runs in the morning session on day four of the third Test against England at the Eden Gardens here Saturday.
The opening duo of Virender Sehwag 49 (56b 7×4) and Gautam Gambhir 33 (70b 3×4 1×6) are at the crease as India still trail by 121 runs of the England’s first innings total of 523 runs.
India’s unbroken opening partnership of 86 runs came in just 21 overs at rate of 4.09 runs per over. India took 43 off the last seven overs before lunch as both batsmen helped themselves with a six each.
The Indian opening pair enjoyed some luck as the visitors failed to take chances offered.
Sehwag was on seven when he edged past the two slips of the blowing of James Anderson in the sixth over when the India score was just 13.
Luck smiled this time on Gambhir when English spinner Monty Panesar got the ball to turn, making Gambhir to inside edge with the ball. It flew quickly to Ian Bell at short leg who failed to latch onto it.
The southpaw was on 12, and India had reached 32 in 12 overs.
Earlier in the day, England resuming at overnight 509/6 could add only 14 runs to take their score to 523 as Indian bowlers quickly dispatched the remaining batsman restricting their lead to 207 runs.
India started the day in the perfect manner when left armer Pragyan Ojha induced Graeme Swann 21 (46b 3×4) to edge one to Sehwag at slip in the very first over of the day while Zaheer Khan got Matt Prior 41 (49b 6×4 1×6) caught behind in the next over.
Offie Ravichandran Ashwin then came in to remove James Anderson (9) caught at slip, and Monty Panesar trapped in front in successive balls to end the England innings in just 4.3 overs.
Ojha was the most successful bowler for India with 4/142 in 52 overs while Ashwin took 3/183. Khan and Ishant Sharma took wicket apiece.