MOHALI: Sachin Tendulkar fell short of a world record 35th century by just six runs as India surged into a commanding position in the opening Test against Pakistan here on Thursday.

Tendulkar scored a painstaking 94 to help India post a massive 447-6 in reply to Pakistan's first innings total of 312 for a lead of 135 runs with four wickets in hand.

Nearly 30,000 spectators skipped a heartbeat when Tendulkar drove seamer Rana Naved-ul-Hasan uppishly to Asim Kamal, who held a brilliant low catch at gully to deny the master batsman a world mark.

The new ball did the trick as Rana struck with his fourth delivery, inducing a false stroke from Tendulkar who had been batting with extreme caution during his 202-ball knock containing 11 fours.

Venkatsai Laxman (33) and Irfan Pathan (one) were at the crease when bad light stopped play six overs before the scheduled close.

Tendulkar also fell 27 short of becoming only the fifth batsman to complete 10,000 Test runs after Australians Allan Border and Steve Waugh, compatriot Sunil Gavaskar and West Indian Brian Lara.

Tendulkar's efforts failed to upstage opener Virender Sehwag, who hammered a robust 173 for his ninth Test hundred on a pitch getting better for batting with each session.

Tendulkar's knock was not as exciting as that of Sehwag because the master batsman rarely looked at his attacking best. He was sometimes so cautious that it appeared he had left his strokes in the dressing-room.

He survived a confident appeal for a bat-pad catch when on eight, scored just 28 in the two-hour afternoon session and was beaten on more than one occasion by leg-spinner Danish Kaneria.

Tendulkar got the benefit of the doubt from South African umpire Rudi Koertzen after silly-point fielder Kamal had appealed, along with team-mates, for a bat-pad catch off Kaneria, the best Pakistani bowler.

TV replays, however, showed that Tendulkar was lucky to survive as the ball appeared to have hit the bat and pad on the way to the fielder.

Pakistan, already short of a quality fast bowler, were also deserted by luck.

India skipper Sourav Ganguly was on 20 when Younis Khan "caught" him at slip off a Mohammad Sami no-ball and was then dropped off the very next delivery by Taufeeq Umar at gully.

India were indebted to Sehwag for posting a big total as the opener was involved in three big partnerships.

Sehwag put on 113 for the opening wicket with Gautam Gambhir on Wednesday, 103 for the next with Rahul Dravid (50) and 118 for the third with Tendulkar.

Kaneria was involved in a fascinating battle with Tendulkar, beating the batsman on a number of occasions, but was unlucky not to get the prize wicket.

(China Daily 03/11/2005 page15)