Mumbai: Hero of the first Test Cheteshwar Pujara scored an unbeaten 114 to notch up his second back to back tons and rescue India from a spot of bother in the second Test match at the Wankhede Stadium here today.

Pujara joined by Ravichandran Ashwin, batting on 60, when India were reeling at 169-6 put up a 97 runs stand for the seventh wicket to help India finish the opening day at 266-6.

England gave Indian skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni, a dose of his own medicine as none of the Indian batters except for Pujara and Ashwin could negotiate the pitch which started turning from early on in the match.

Left arm spinner Monty Panesar who replaced Tim Bresnan into the squad made an early impression into the match as he removed the dangerous Virender Sehwag and Sachin Tendulkar in successive overs after James Anderson removed opener Gautam Gambhir in the second ball of the match.

Sehwag playing in his 100th Test was looking good before a flighted delivery by Panesar hit his pads and deflected onto the stumps. He scored 30 off 43 balls including for boundaries.

The left arm spinner struck again in his next over after he tossed one up to Tendulkar who was completely beaten all ends up by the turn to see his off stump rattled.

Pujara who was at the other end watching wicket fall at a flurry held onto his nerves and played well to inch towards his half century. He was joined by Virat Kohli and both of them avoided any further casualty before the lunch.

Kohli looking good was however out in the post lunch session after he was caught by skipper Alastair Cook at covers off Panesar’s bowling.

Yuvraj was out for naught after Graeme Swann tricked him and castled his stumps. Reeling at 119-5, in-came Dhoni and he started taking the attack to the English bowlers with his cuts and pulls. But he too joined the others in the pavilion soon after he was caught by Swann in the first slip off Panesar’s bowling.

With India’s tail exposed, the visitors must have smelt blood but Ashwin looked resolute. He played a perfect fiddle to Pujara who is yet to get dismissed in the series. He is now unbeaten for more than 14 hours.

Continuing his good touch from the first Test, Pujara just seemed too comfortable on the pitch where the famed Indian batting line-up collapsed like nine pins.

Pujara hardly made any mistake in the match and the whole course of the match will depend on him how he plays tomorrow.

Pujara hit 10 boundaries in his 279-ball innings while Ashwin belted nine boundaries in the 84 deliveries that he played.

Panesar picked up four wickets by giving away just 91 runs in 34 overs.

Brief scores:

India 266 for 6 (Pujara 114*, Ashwin 60*, Panesar 4-91) v England

By Indian Sports News Network