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The Indian team has been looking good enough to win the ongoing 3-match series 2-0 and that too without a single batsman getting himself a three figure score. That jinx was broken today by not Sachin, not VVS, not Dhoni but by Anil Kumble, the least expected of all players! India's highest ever wicket taker - Anil Kumble got himself a maiden century in seventeen years of playing international cricket. India with that century and other meaningful contributions piled up a Himalayan total of 664 in their first innings. They have already got Andrew Strauss back in the pavilion to round off a perfect day.

Nothing changed from the first day to the second day. The track was a flat one and a sunny day welcomed the Indian batsmen. Play also went exactly like the first day with the batsmen making merry as the bowlers continued to get frustrated. Tendulkar and Laxman brought up the fourth partnership of 50 plus in the first hour that was dominated by the sweetly timed shots from VVS. Matt Prior had already made all the headlines in the English newspapers and his sorry presence behind the wickets only continued as he dropped yet another catch. VVS Laxman had got a nice nick off Sidebottom which was traveling towards Strauss at first slip but Prior dived to his right needlessly to jab the ball past Strauss for a boundary! Fortunately enough, England didn't have to pay a heavy price as Laxman was forced to nick a Tremlett seamer that Prior could hold onto. Laxman fell after making 51 from 79 with 8 fours which was quite disappointing as he sure was looking good for a big one.

India were firmly placed at 354 for 5 when MS Dhoni joined a cautious Sachin Tendulkar. Dhoni got to play out a series of short deliveries which he did with a bit of luck and a few forceful shots. With that another partnership got kicking and Tendulkar was getting his shots going. But he fell 18 short of a hundred when he was forced to nick Anderson into the slips. Tendulkar made 82 from 192 with 11 fours. The partnership with Dhoni was a quick 63 from 70 balls. India still had a big score at lunch, at 429 for 6 with Dhoni expected to carry them a little further.

England thought they could polish off the Indian innings, but that wasn't to be as they were stranded by yet another partnership. This time between Dhoni and Kumble with the former playing all his shots freely. A couple of sixes off Panesar got Dhoni smashing his way into the sixties. Kumble too enjoyed himself in the middle with his flashy square cuts. A few overs later, Vaughan threw the ball to Pietersen to buy the wicket of Dhoni. A couple of sixes came off the third and the fourth balls, the first one sailing into the second tier of the stadium and the next one a top edge but comfortably landing over the ropes. Shades of Kapil Dev's four consecutive sixes could be recollected at this stage. Dhoni didn't disappoint anyone as he went for the hat-trick of sixes but got too close to the ball and was caught in the deep by Cook. That was KP's second test wicket and Dhoni wasn't unhappy getting out having got a whirlwind 92 from 81 with 9 fours and four sixes. The crowd had got their money worth and Dhoni just didn't bother to buckle down for the sake of completing a test century. He did his job which was to entertain a full house and in the process lifting his side past 500.

If one thought that the Indian innings would be rapped up after Dhoni's exit, then it was wrong. Kumble and Zaheer were determined to punish their opponents and they went unbeaten at Tea with India at 559 for 7. That was yet another 50 plus partnership of the innings! Kumble had also eased past his fifth half century before the Tea Break. After Tea, the partnership ended at 62 when Zaheer's slog off Panesar was taken at mid off. Zaheer batted for 75 minutes which was very annoying for England. RP Singh contributed another 11 runs to the total before getting caught and bowled by Anderson. When the no.11 Sreesanth had walked in, Kumble was on 76. Sreesanth got a dazzling square cut for a four off Anderson and later batted with discipline to allow Kumble a chance to get his three figures. Firstly, Kumble got India past the intimidating figure of 600 with a six off Monty. The next few minutes were exciting and tense as Kumble went past his previous best of 89 against South Africa and then into the nervous nineties. It was pure luck that he got to the magical figure as he had stepped down to Pietersen only to get a bottom edge that was missed by the keeper and ran away for four runs. Kumble first tried to get back to the crease and then as Prior missed the ball, he showed the bat to the umpire and Steve Bucknor acknowledged that to allow him a hundred. It was a maiden century for Kumble coming in his 117th Test Match and his 7th first class hundred.

India finally got all out for 664 in as many as 170 overs when Sreesanth miscued Monty Panesar. Sreesanth had his moments with the bat, three consecutive boundaries off Anderson and a six off Monty in his 35 from 32. Kumble, the King was unconquered on 110 which came in 193 balls with 16 fours and a six. Most of his runs were classy cover drives and cuts through the offside. Kumble's cenury had managed to overshadow Matt Prior's wicket keeping which conceded an unfortunate 33 runs, four runs short of a world record! Poor Prior might have well played his last test atleast for sometime. The innings extras proudly became the sixth half centurion for the tourists!

India had 8 overs to have a go at the English batsmen. The start from England looked ideal until Strauss failed to resist himself from going for the hook to a Zaheer bouncer that was well held at fine leg. Strauss departed for 6 and England had a bad finish at 24 for 1. They might lose an early wicket tomorrow morning as there is a night watchman in James Anderson along with Cook at the crease.

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