India in the Driver's seat

A near flawless 160 by Sachin Tendulkar and three early wickets in New Zealand's second innings gave India total charge on the third day of the first Test on Friday.Bring back Shane Warne, Shaun Pollock and Wasim Akram because we have a conundrum here that only they can solve. The way Sachin Tendulkar has batted on this tour, and in the matches leading up to it, it seems he has hit the kind of patch he did in the mid-90s.He scored his 42nd Test century and gave Seddon Park a batting masterclass.

Tendulkar's hundred took just 168 balls and his positive intent never allowed the bowlers to settle. India lost Yuvraj Singh to an error of judgement but though Mahendra Singh Dhoni was initially subdued, a 115-run partnership gave India the advantage.

The third umpire was needed to make sure that Ryder hadn't caught Dhoni at gully after another fierce cut, but India's captain was on his way three balls later after gloving a short-pitched delivery behind. Then, after an immaculate punch down the ground off O'Brien, Tendulkar's 260-ball effort ended with an edge to first slip, after he tried to fend a bouncer down towards fine leg.

Vettori took a smart diving catch at mid-off to end Harbhajan Singh's cameo, there was further punishment from Zaheer Khan, who hit the ball through and over the covers with the ease of a frontline batsman.He was unbeaten on 50 from 45 balls,though had survived two catches earlier from Martin and Flynn.Munaf swept one from vettori with single hand straight into the hands of Martin at square leg.

When New Zealand batted a second time, Tim McIntosh lasted just three balls. There were doubts over whether the edge off Zaheer carried to Tendulkar at first slip and the fielder himself went off with a badly jammed and bleeding finger. Tendulkar later clarified that his finger was sore, but had not been broken.

Guptill and flynn had a good partership going before Guptill scooped a flighted delivery from harbhajan straight to sehwag at wide mid-off.Munaf then trapped Mills in front with the last ball of the day. The shouts of celebration reverberated around the ground, and the Indians took their time to walk off after a day when pretty much everything had gone their way.

India are surely in the driver's seat.