Hooper blasted 29 fours

In all, Hooper hit 29 fours and three sixes and shared a stand of 293 with fellow Guyanese Shivnarine Chanderpaul, whose 140 was his first century in a Test match for four years.

"This knock was very important for the team and also for me," said Chanderpaul, who recently returned from a three-year absence from Test cricket because of various injuries and a lack of form.

"Considering the bad patch I've been going through, I desperately wanted something like this to happen."

"When you're out of cricket because of an injury, you come back and don't get into form that quickly. It takes time."

The partnership was a fourth-wicket record for West Indies against India, beating the 267 of Clyde Walcott and Gerry Gomez at Delhi in 1948-49.

India were hoping for early wickets after letting the home side off the hook on the opening day when they were 44 for three at one stage.

Frustration

But Hooper and Chanderpaul, both playing on their home ground, were determined to press on towards a big total with West Indies looking to end a run of five successive Test defeats.

The tourists' bowling was uninspired and their frustration increased when VVS Laxman dropped Chanderpaul at slip, having done the same favour for Hooper early in his innings.

Chanderpaul made India pay by clipping the next ball through mid-wicket to bring up his hundred.

Zaheer Khan took two late wickets

Having reached lunch on 361 for four, West Indies were held up by a shower early in the afternoon.

But it was the same story following the resumption, despite Chanderpaul feeling ill.

Hooper went past his previous highest score in Tests of 178, and Chanderpaul did likewise when he surpassed his 137 not out against India in Barbados in 1997.

He faced 290 balls in all and hit 23 fours before being trapped lbw by left-armer Zaheer Khan.

Shortly after Chanderpaul's demise, West Indies reached 454-5 at tea before losing Junior Murray, also to Khan, and finally Hooper in the evening session.