Murali Vijay's dashing fifty left India in the strong position of 106 for one against England at lunch on the first day of the first Test at Trent Bridge on Wednesday.
Vijay was 55 not out and number three Cheteshwar Pujara 38 not out, with their unbroken stand so far worth 73.
Their partnership followed the early loss of Shikhar Dhawan for 12 -- England's lone success in the opening session of this five-Test series.
India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni won the toss and it was no surprise when, on a sunny day and with the pitch only showing a tinge of green, he decided to bat first.
Vijay was into his stride right from the first over of the match, which saw England spearhead James Anderson concede 12 runs.
Vijay twice steered Anderson down to the vacant third man area and then clipped him through midwicket for three fours in as many balls.
But Anderson, who has taken more Test wickets at Trent Bridge than any other bowler, did claim his 50th scalp on the ground when he found Dhawan's outside edge and wicketkeeper Matt Prior, showing no sign of the thigh injury that had made him doubtful for this match, took an excellent diving left-handed catch in front of England captain Alastair Cook at first slip.
India were now 33 for one.
Anderson, whose opening seven overs cost 40 runs -- in sharp contrast to new-ball partner Stuart Broad's five overs for nine runs -- was replaced by Liam Plunkett.
Vijay though eased a full toss from Yorkshire fast bowler Plunkett down the ground for four.
He did though have a minor scare on 41 when, facing recalled all-rounder Ben Stokes, he jabbed down on a yorker where the back-spin threatened to take the ball into his stumps before Vijay blocked it with his bat.
Pujara elegantly cover-drove Plunkett for four and clubbed a full-toss from part-time spinner Moeen Ali to midwicket to the joy of Indian fans in a capacity crowd.
Such was Vijay's touch on a beautiful batting pitch allied to a fast-running outfield that his fifty featured 44 runs in boundaries.
He reached the landmark with his 11th four, a superbly-timed cover-drive off Stokes.
Source: AFP
