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India consolidates position as Pakistan skipper Inzamam falls

Leg-spinner Anil Kumble claimed the wicket of Inzamam-ul-Haq shortly after the Pakistan skipper completed his half-century Tuesday to give India an edge on the opening day of the first test.

Inzamam compiled 57 before falling lbw to Kumble as Pakistan slumped to 191 for six at tea.
Inzamam struck seven boundaries during his 159-ball knock and shared two innings-anchoring partnerships after the Indian pace bowlers struck some early blows to justify Indian captain Sourav Ganguly's decision to bowl first on a grassy pitch after winning the toss.

India's seamers shared the remaining five wickets with paceman Irfan Pathan claiming two for 45 and Laxmipathy Balaji taking two for 46. Zaheer Khan got one for 62.

At tea, Asim Kamal was batting on 33 and Kamran Akmal was still to score.

Yousuf Youhana was caught behind by Dinesh Karthik off Pathan for six in the third over of the afternoon session, while Abdul Razzaq smashed a brisk 26 before edging Balaji to the wicketkeeper just before tea.

Pakistan lost opener Salman Butt (5), vice captain Younis Khan (9) and Taufeeq Umar (44) in the first session.

Pathan toppled opener Butt's off-stump with an inswinger and Zaheer Khan trapped vice captain Younis Khan lbw to reduce Pakistan to 30 for two before opener Umar and Inzamam revived the innings with a 59-run third-wicket stand. The partnership was broken when Umar was dismissed two balls before lunch, edging an inswinger from Balaji onto his stumps.

Umar's 117-minute knock contained seven fours off 89 deliveries.

Inzamam added 52 runs with Kamal for the fifth wicket before misreading a sharp delivery from Kumble.

Both captains opted for three pace bowlers and just one spinner on a track that promised to assist the speedsters.

Nine of Pakistan's 11 players are playing their first test match in India. Only Inzamam and Youhana were part of the Pakistan team that last played a test series in India in 1999.

Two members of the Indian team - opener Gautam Gambhir and wicketkeeper Karthik - are featuring in their first test match against Pakistan.

Pakistan is returning last year's visit by the Indian team that resumed cricket ties between the archrivals as part of diplomatic initiatives to end the mutual hostility that has existed between the two nations since they gained independence from British colonial rule in 1947.

India's visit to Pakistan in 2004 was its first full tour across the border in 14 years. India won the series 2-1.

Pakistan has a 10-7 edge in 50 tests against India, which includes 33 drawn encounters. But India leads 5-4 in 27 tests on its home soil, which also featured 18 drawn matches.