It is my best innings in Test cricket Virender Sehwag More Sehwag quotes Multan photo gallery

Virender Sehwag scored his maiden Test double century to put India in complete control of the historic first Test against Pakistan in Multan.

Sehwag finished day one unbeaten on 228 - the highest by an Indian against Pakistan - to propel India to 356-2.

The opener made Pakistan pay for dropping him twice, clubbing 30 fours and five sixes from 271 balls faced.

Pakistan took two quick wickets in the afternoon, but otherwise it was slim pickings for the hapless hosts.

Sehwag forged partnerships of 160 with fellow opener Akash Chopra (42) and 183 for the third wicket with Sachin Tendulkar, who remained unbeaten on 60.

A disappointing crowd of less than 5,000 turned up for the start of the first Test series between the two teams for four years and the first in Pakistan since 1989.

But those who did attend were treated to Sehwag's abrasive brand of brilliance.

The two captains shake hands before play on a memorable day

His innings was starkly reminiscent of the first-day 195 he scored against Australia in last year's Boxing Day Test at the MCG.

He filled his boots against a lop-sided attack that boasted just one spinning option - Saqlain Mushtaq - on a flat, lifeless Multan pitch.

Pakistan instead opted for a three-pronged pace attack - in addition to the auxiliary seam of Abdul Razzaq - and the curious decision to omit leg-spinner Danish Kaneria hurt them with only Mohammad Sami (1-54) striking among the quicks.

Rahul Dravid, standing in for injured skipper Sourav Ganguly, had no hesitations in batting first when India won their first toss of the tour following the one-day series that they won 3-2.

Sehwag and Chopra shared the strike evenly in the morning session but it was Sehwag who played the shots with his partner filling a foiling role.

Sami was the only paceman to take a wicket on the opening day

Forty-one runs of the first 50 scored came from Sehwag's blade, with the pair going on to tally 104 for the session.

Pakistan's only chance of the morning went begging when Sami dropped Sehwag, 68 at the time, in the deep off Saqlain just before lunch.

The opener was given another life after the interval by Saqlain, and he promptly hit the spinner for a huge six over mid-wicket the over after his second reprieve to move into the 90s.

Sehwag moved into triple figures stylishly, helping a short Shoaib Akhtar (0-60) delivery over the gully region for another maximum score.

Saqlain (1-123), Pakistan's most-bowled player with 23 overs, broke through to have Chopra, who faced 121 balls, caught at short-leg.

Rahul Dravid came and went when Sami, extracting what he could from the lifeless pitch, used sheer pace to have him caught at square-leg attempting a pull-shot.

The pitch had nothing in it for the bowlers From Generalrelativity Have your say on TMS

Pakistan had their first sniff with India suddenly reduced from 160-0 to 173-2, but Sehwag and Tendulkar were having none of it.

Tendulkar was largely content to sit back and support his partner, but he made quiet progress to register his 38th Test fifty and gave every indication a 33rd ton would follow on day two.

Sehwag, meanwhile, tip-toed as his double century approached, but he remained doggedly focused to the close.

His epic knock eclipsed Sanjay Manjrekar's 218 against Pakistan in Lahore in 1989.

Pakistan: Imran Farhat, Taufeeq Umar, Yasir Hameed, Yousuf Youhana Inzamam-ul-Haq (Capt), Abdul Razzaq, Moin Khan (Wkt) Saqlain Mushtaq, Mohammad Sami, Shoaib Akhtar, Shabbir Ahmed.

India: A Chopra, V Sehwag, V V S Laxman, S R Tendulkar R Dravid (Capt), Yuvraj Singh, P A Patel (Wkt), A Kumble, Z Khan I K Pathan, L Balaji.

Umpires: D Shepherd (Eng), S Taufel (Aus).