Records Tumble As India Punish Pakistan

Virender Sehwag scored the second fastest double-century and Rahul Dravid made his 21st hundred to guide India to within 10 runs of the highest opening stand in history. By close of play on the fourth day, the pair had led India to 403-0, in reply to Pakistan's first-innings total of 679-7 declared.

Sehwag ended the day on 247 with Dravid on 128 and the pair will need to add just 11 runs to break the world record opening stand, set by fellow Indians Vinoo Mankad and Pankaj Roy against New Zealand at Madras in 1956.

Sehwag, whose double hundred came from just 182 deliveries, was in a savage mood and belted 46 fours and a six in his 240-ball knock to record a second successive double ton against Pakistan after his 201 at Bangalore last March.

When he had reached 199, Sehwag was fortunate to see Shoaib Malik floor a difficult low chance at third man as he cut pacer Rana Naved for a four to bring up his 200. He also survived a confident caught behind appeal on 150 against leg spinner Danish Kaneria when he went to reverse sweep the ball. Television replays suggested the ball had brushed his gloves on the way to keeper Kamran Akmal.

Dravid, by contrast, needed 227 balls to build his patient innings with his fourth hundred against Pakistan coming just before tea from 202 balls with 15 fours. It is his first century since being appointed captain last month and came as part of a new record opening stand for India against Pakistan, easing past the 200 set by Sunil Gavaskar and Kris Srikkanth at Madras in 1987.

Dravid's century was the sixth in the match played on a flat, lifeless track after Younis Khan, Mohammad Yousef, Shahid Afridi and Akmal had all reached three figures in Pakistan's innings.