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52.3 overs into day 1 of the second cricket test at Eden Gardens South Africa appeared to have a hand of the world no.1 ranking and the $175,000 cheque that goes with it. 23.4 overs later, India had taken 8 wickets for 43 runs, and it was well and truly game on. Hashim Amla had taken over from where he had left off in the first test, and debutant Alvaro Petersen had smashed a century too on debut to take South Africa to a position of strength with just minutes to go before the tea break, but a good old fashioned workman-like spell from Zaheer Khan removed both batsmen before Harbhajan Singh joined in the fun to bring India back into the contest.

The match started in the worst possible way for the hosts with MS Dhoni losing the toss for the second time in the series and a delighted Graeme Smith opting once again to make first use of the pitch. The visitors made one forced change to their line-up with Mark Boucher missing out due to injury with the duties behind the stumps transferred to AB de Villiers, and Alvaro Petersen getting the nod at the top of the order with Ashwell Prince getting shunted down to his more preferred middle order role. India too made one change welcoming back VVS Laxman into the line-up for the "sorry we picked you too early" Wriddhiman Saha. It was the non-selections for India which were the more surprising, with S Sreesanth and Pragyan Ojha missing out despite Ishant Sharma and Ashish Mishra going wicket-less for 81 overs between them.

Like at Nagpur, Zaheer Khan had Graeme Smith's number early, once again re-arranging the South African skipper's furniture with a ball that nipped back in, the Proteas were 9-1 at the end of the third over. The rest of the morning belonged to the batsmen with Petersen and Amla taking full toll of a lightening quick outfield, adding 107 runs in just 23 overs to head into lunch once again on top. Petersen had brought up his maiden test 50 off just 55 balls including 10 hits to the fence and had Amla unbeaten on 49 for company at the break.

Amla was given a second life by VVS Laxman when on 60, and decided to continue to make use of the Indian hospitality by putting his foot on the accelerator and outscoring Petersen as the pair neared their respective centuries. Zaheer finally affected the breakthroughs that India so desperately needed, getting the debutant centurion caught behind on an even hundred, and adding the scalp of Amla to his collection in the first over after tea.

The rest of the last session belonged completely to India as Laxman made amends for dropping Amla by running back from slip to take a good catch to get the huge wicket of Jacques Kallis for 10, Harbhajan Singh the relieved bowler. The off-spinner then struck with successive deliveries in the 68th over to send back Ashwell Prince and JP Duminy. De Villiers ran himself out in the next over, and South Africa had slid from 218/1 to 254/7.

Ishant Sharma and Amit Mishra ended their long wait for a wicket by removing Paul Harris and Dale Steyn respectively as India ended the day firmly in the ascendancy, despite losing the first couple of sessions. The drama that only test cricket can provide was in full display at the Garden today, and the hosts will anxious to complete the formalities and pick up the last wicket of the Proteas' innings as early as possible on Monday.

The reality check for the Indians is they still need to go out there and bat for the next couple of days at the very least. They need to win the test to draw level in the series and the battle between Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir in the blue corner and Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel in the green, could determine which way this series will swing.

Mini Scorecard:

South Africa 1st Innings 266/9 (81.0 overs, 3.28 rpo)
Amla 114 (166)                Zaheer 3-77
Petersen 100 (164)           Harbhajan 3-60

File Photograph Copyright: BCB