Matthew Hoggard and Andrew Flintoff then removed both Indian openers with just 11 runs on the board in their second innings, before Tendulkar hit an unbeaten half century.

Alec Stewart and Andrew Flintoff set the tone in the morning with a 97-run sixth wicket partnership as England resumed their innings 16 runs behind India.

Stewart had added 18 runs to his overnight 30 when he edged an Ajit Agarkar delivery to Virender Sehwag at second slip, but the third umpire ruled that the ball did not carry.

He then rubbed salt into Agarkar's wounds by edging between wicket-keeper and first slip at a catchable height to post his 50 with a boundary to third man.

Flintoff crashed six boundaries in a typically bullish 33 before Zaheer Khan halted England's progress with two wickets in three deliveries.

Flintoff played back to a ball that skidded on and ripped out his off stump, and Stewart perished in the same fashion trying to work a straight delivery off his legs.

Tendulkar led a counter-attack

Dominic Cork made light of his knee injury to smash six boundaries in his 31 before poking a sharp catch to Wasim Jaffer at short leg off the bowling of Harbhajan Singh.

Hoggard made a mockery of his Test average of 7.62 and highest first-class score of 21 by sharing in a record ninth-wicket stand of 103 against India with White.

Ashish Nehra finally had Hoggard caught at first slip by Rahul Dravid for 32.

White cracked a huge straight six off Harbhajan and 12 fours, but was denied his second Test century by six runs when Steve Harmison slashed Agarkar to Jaffer at gully.

India's second innings got off to the worst possible start as Hoggard trapped Virender Sehwag lbw with his second delivery, as the batsman shouldered arms to a straight ball.

Jaffer fell lbw to Flintoff in the next over, but Tendulkar cracked 11 superb boundaries to end the day on 56 with Rahul Dravid 34, and India 99-2.