Das provided stubborn resistance

Indian openers Shiv Sunder Das and Deep Dasgupta blunted the England attack in the morning session with a patient stand of 119.

Das struck seven boundaries making 58 and Dasgupta accumulated a patient 60 off 191 balls, including five boundaries.

England captain Nasser Hussain brought on his spinners early but Richard Dawson struggled with his length and Ashley Giles' tactic of bowling outside the leg stump did not trouble the batsmen.

Two quick wickets before tea gave England a faint hope of snatching a win.

Wicketkeeper James Foster pulled off a smart piece of glovework from a fine Ashley Giles throw to run out Das by inches as the opener tried to pinch a quick single.

Dawson claimed the prize wicket of Tendulkar

Dawson had Dasgupta caught at silly point by Mark Butcher five runs later, before the off-spinner achieved the most significant highlight of his short career by taking the scalp of Tendulkar in the final session.

Michael Vaughan pouched an easy catch at short leg when Dawson got one to turn and take the inside edge of Tendulkar's bat and balloon off his pad.

The Yorkshireman finished with highly creditable figures of 2-72 on the day.

But the prize wicket was too little too late for England, who must now win the final Test in Bangalore, which starts on Wednesday, to level the three-match series.

India: Sourav Ganguly (captain), Shiv Sundar Das, Deep Dasgupta, Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, VVS Laxman, Virender Sehwag, Anil Kumble, Harbhajan Singh, Javagal Srinath, Tinu Yohannan.

England: Nasser Hussain (captain), Mark Butcher, Michael Vaughan, Marcus Trescothick, Mark Ramprakash, Andrew Flintoff, Craig White, James Foster, Ashley Giles, Richard Dawson, Matthew Hoggard.

Umpires: AV Jayaprakash (Ind) and Ian Robinson (Zim).
Match referee: Denis Lindsay (SA).