Ahmedabad, Nov 15: Virender Sehwag and Cheteshwar Pujara propelled India to 323 for four at the end of Day 1 of the first Test against England, at Motera. After the prolific opener laid the foundation with a run-a-ball 117, Pujara anchored the Indian innings even as Graeme Swann claimed all the Indian wickets that fell today. At stumps, the top-order bat was two short of his century with Yuvraj Singh unbeaten on 24 at the other end.

Earlier after MS Dhoni won the toss and opted to bat first, openers Gautam Gambhir and Sehwag who have been under scrutiny in recent times got India off to a flying start.

The first session of the first day undoubtedly belonged to Sehwag. After taking a few overs to get the feel of the newly-laid wicket at the Sardar Patel Stadium, Sehwag coming into the match on the back of a century in the Ranji Trophy, first flicked James Anderson to the boundary down the on side. In the pacer’s next over, Sehwag struck him for three boundaries to collect 12 runs. After guiding the cherry past point for four, he came on to the front foot and once again sent it to the ropes, and then hit it through covers to pick four more. From there on the senior opener never looked back. He continued to find gaps and kept the score board ticking, while Gambhir dabbed at the ball and held up the other end.

Sehwag who looked in sublime touch meted out the same treatment to Tim Bresnan later. After reaching his half-century off 45 balls with a single off Graeme Swann, he picked 15 runs off a Tim Bresnan over. After hitting Bresnan for boundaries on either side of the wicket, Sehwag lofted him over long-on and into the stands for a six.

With runs flowing easily for India and little going England’s way in the first session, the duo took India to 120 at lunch without losing a wicket at a healthy run-rate of 4.28, with Gambhir on 37 and Sehwag on 79.

Taking the field after lunch, England bowlers created a couple of chances early on. But Matt Prior grassed an opportunity to send back the dangerous Sehwag off Anderson in the first over after lunch and then missed a stumping chance off Swann to dismiss Gambhir. However, Gambhir who had looked tentative throughout the morning session returned to the dressing room a couple of deliveries later. The England off-spinner knocked back Gambhir’s off-stump to give the visitors their first breakthrough in the second over after lunch.

However, the wicket did not offer much respite to the Alastair Cook’s men. At 134 for one, Pujara came to the crease and joined Sehwag in milking the English bowlers. A while later Sehwag reached his century with a boundary off Swann. The batsman’s previous Test ton had come at the same venue in November 2010 against New Zealand. Meanwhile, at the other end, India’s newest No.3 rotated the strike with ease and raced to his fifty off 67 balls. The 24-year-old was the dominant partner in the 90-run partnership with Sehwag. After taking India past the 200-run mark, the flourishing partnership ended with Swann claiming the big wicket of Sehwag.

The prolific opener was replaced by Master batsman Sachin Tendulkar who had made his debut on this day 23 years ago, against Pakistan. However, his stay in the middle today was short. A couple of deliveries after hitting Swann over mid-wicket for four, Tendulkar’s mistimed hit found Samit Patel at deep mid-wicket and gave the spinner his third scalp of the day. Picking all the three Indian wickets that fell in the second session, Swann kept England in the game.

Virat Kohli who was yet to open his account and Pujara who was on 68 India resumed the third session cautiously. Kohli who had taken his time to get off the mark, was dropped at first slip by Jonathan Trott when he edged Swann while on for four. However later in the session, the fourth-wicket stand was ended by Swann. England’s man of the moment, who had kept the Indian batsmen on their toes, rattled Kohli’s middle-stump to send him back for 19 and bring Yuvraj Singh to the crease.

In a relatively quiet last session of the day, Pujara and Yuvraj Singh took India past 300 as they bided their time and ensured that the hosts did not lose any more wickets before the end of the day. In the last over of the day, Pujara struck Anderson for boundaries off the first and last ball of the over to remain unbeaten on 98.

Brief scores:

At the end of Day 1: India 1st innings 323/4 in 90 overs (V Sehwag 117, C Pujara 98*, Y Singh 24*, G Swann 4/85)