The New Nation - Internet Edition

AP, Mohali

Opener Gautam Gambhir posted a century and former captain Rahul Dravid found his long-lost form Friday to spur India to 179-1 at the end of an abbreviated opening day of the second test against England.

Gambhir was unbeaten on 106, his fourth century in 22 tests, and Dravid was batting on 65 when bad light stopped play 42 minutes before the scheduled close.

Poor visibility also delayed the start of play for 20 minutes.

England would be the more thankful of the sides for the lost hour, as the India pair put on an unbeaten 173-run partnership for the second wicket after the early loss of their usual catalyst Virender Sehwag for a duck

Pace bowler Stuart Broad, back in the side after recovering from the hamstring injury which forced him to miss the opening test which India won by six wickets, induced an edge off Sehwag into wicketkeeper Matt Prior's gloves in the second over of the match for the sole breakthrough.

Heavy wintry conditions coupled with a fair sprinkling of grass on the pitch seemed to favor the bowlers, yet skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni elected to bat after winning the toss.

England's seamers dominated the morning session in which the home team's batsmen struggled against the movement of the ball before Gambhir stamped his authority with some firm drives and cuts.

Left-hander Gambhir's 229-ball knock included 12 fours and a lofted six over covers off spinner Graeme Swann as he dominated the Indian innings, posting his third test hundred of the season.

Gambhir was lucky to survive when off-spinner Graeme Swann found the edge, but the chance eluded Paul Collingwood's outstretched hand in the slips.

Dravid's patient 205-ball knock featured seven boundaries, helping the stylish batsman post the 54th half-century of his test career and first in nine test innings.

India resisted the temptation to drop out-of-form Dravid down the order. His first boundary came off the 46th delivery and it was his first four in five test innings.

England has returned to India for two tests after flying home after the curtailed limited-overs series in the wake of last month's Mumbai terrorist attacks in which 164 people were killed.