Dravid Piles on the Misery for Pakistan

Another epic innings from Rahul Dravid put India within range of their first-ever series victory in Pakistan on the third day in Rawalpindi.

Dravid struck a glorious 270, his highest first-class score and his fourth Test double-century in the last 19 months. With Sourav Ganguly (77) and Yuvraj Singh (47) also chipping in, India racked up exactly 600 - a monstrous first-innings lead of 376.

By the close Pakistan were in big trouble on 49 for 2 - still 327 behind - having lost both their openers, Imran Farhat and Taufeeq Umar, in the space of five deliveries.

It was a fitting culmination to a very bad day for the home side. With Shoaib Akhtar out with back trouble, their weakened bowling attack battled hard but had no answer to Dravid's ruthlessness and watertight technique.

Danish Kaneria, the leg spinner, wheeled through 62 overs but had only a couple of lower-order scalps to show for it. Indeed, it took a run-out for Pakistan to break the partnership between Dravid and Ganguly, India's vice-captain and captain.

The pair had added 131 - the same as Dravid and VVS Laxman yesterday - when Ganguly, who smacked 12 fours in a punishing innings, was run out by a smart throw from Imran Nazir at point.

There was no respite for Pakistan, however. Yuvraj, a centurion in the last Test, strode out at No7 and, though he was unusually cautious at times, plundered seven fours and added 98 with Dravid before he was given out lbw to a ball from Mohammad Sami that pitched outside leg stump.

The tail offered little, but Dravid swept on relentlessly. He hit 34 fours and, late in his innings, launched Farhat for a huge six. Farhat had some kind of revenge in the next over, however, when Dravid's 495-ball innings finally ended when he dragged on a reverse sweep.

India have not won a Test series away from home since they beat Sri Lanka in 1993 but, with two days to go and a mighty lead on a pitch already offering a hint of uneven bounce, that is surely about to change.