A decent day

316-4 is a very good score for the first day of a test match, especially when the test in question is the third test of a series in which the batting side has taken a 1-0 lead. I suspect India would have preferred a few other things to have gone their way: they'd have liked one of their batsmen to have scored a big ton; they'd not have wanted to have partially subsided from their position at 189-1; and they might be hoping that Ian Howell gets a clue about the rules regulating leg-before decisions. But Tendulkar (grinding, grinding, his way to 48 off 132 deliveries) is still there, and so is VVS Laxman. I am huge fan of VVS Laxman, not just because he played that innings, but because I always remember his test debut against South Africa in 1996 where he played a beautiful innings in the second innings on a very, very dodgy wicket, and helped set up a win (he played other wonderful mini-innings, fighting hard against good bowling attacks before finally coming good with his masterpiece). This is his possibly his last test in England, like Tendulkar, and the best thing they can do now is also the most obvious: score tons to put the match out of England's reach. It might also help if Ian Howell decides he needs to make a quick dash back to South Africa (for whatever reason, I'm not picky).