Profile: Sehwag comes of age More day two photos

Pakistan reached 42-0 in reply after India declared for their third-highest Test score of all time on day two of the first Test in Multan.

The visitors' 675-5 was built around Virender Sehwag's Indian record 309 and Sachin Tendulkar's 33rd Test ton.

The declaration came when Yuvraj Singh was removed for 59, leaving Tendulkar stranded on 194.

Sehwag was caught at slip before tea, ending a 375-ball knock that included 39 fours and six sixes.

It was the first triple century by an Indian and the 18th scored since the inception of Test cricket.

The dashing opener put on a mammoth 336 with Tendulkar, which for India's third wicket was second only to Yashpal Sharma and Dilip Vengsarkar's 415 against England in 1982.

Tendulkar contributed only 130 to that stand and while his knock was less celebrated than Sehwag's, it was also less chancy.

HIGHEST INDIA TOTALS 705-7 dec. - v Aus, Sydney 2004 676-7 - v SL, Kanpur 1986 675-5 dec. - v Pak, Multan 2004 657-7 dec. - v Aus, Calcutta 2001 644-7 dec. - v WI, Kanpur 1979

Save for a dropped return catch off Saqlain Mushtaq's bowling when on 176, he did not look like getting out, and he is now within one century of countryman Sunil Gavaskar's all-time Test record of 34.

Sehwag, dropped twice on day one, was put down twice behind the wicket in one Shabbir Ahmed over before lunch, either side of passing VVS Laxman's benchmark score of 281 for an Indian batsman.

They were mistakes Pakistan could ill-afford, with Sehwag largely responsible for decimating the attack's bowling figures.

Saqlain, off whose bowling Sehwag was dropped twice, returned 1-204, while both Shoaib Akhtar and Shabbir conceded more than 100 for no reward. Mohammad Sami was the only multiple wicket-taker with 2-110.

I knew the declaration was around the corner, but I was shocked when it came Sachin Tendulkar More day two quotes

The first session marked a period of consolidation for India with 111 unbroken runs added from an overnight 356-2.

India's wariness had much to do with the threat posed by speedster Shoaib, full of energy after a night's rest.

Shoaib put his back into a nine-over spell, causing the in-form batsmen genuine discomfort on a pitch offering zilch to pacemen.

But it came to nothing as Sehwag and Tendulkar saw Shoaib off and made their runs at the other end off the occasionally errant Sami.

A double bowling change mid-session failed to bring reward, though Shabbir fully deserved a breakthrough.

After Abdul Razzaq failed to get behind the stumps at the non-striker's end and run a tiring Sehwag out, Shabbir looked on as Taufeeq Umar and keeper Moin Khan dropped chances.

Who would have thought that he would do that...hats off to him From Atul Have your say on TMS

Sehwag passed 300 with a towering six off Saqlain, just as he had moved into triple figures on the opening day.

Matthew Hayden's record 380 became an obvious target for Sehwag, but he ran out of luck when Taufeeq made up for an earlier indiscretion by holding onto the chance at slip off Sami.

Tendulkar and VVS Laxman then put on a surprisingly cautious 56 before the latter was run out by Yousuf Youhana's sure arm.

Yuvraj looked confident and assured to register his first fifty in his second Test, the left-hander and Tendulkar putting on 110 in even time before Imran Farhat struck.

Farhat and Taufeeq saw off 16 overs before stumps in which Irfan Pathan impressed, but with the deficit standing at 633 more of the same is required on day two.

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).