Much will rest on the batting of Tendulkar

Ninety one runs were scored before lunch on day two, while 93 runs were scored between lunch and tea.

With the final 90 minutes lost to bad light, the West Indies are probably 75 runs short of where they would have wanted to be by the close of the second day.

But it is likely that they would declare first thing on the third day if there is going to be any chance of bowling India out twice, a very unlikely event, given the nature of the pitch.

The session before lunch told its own story.

After a very spirited start in which they bowled rather straight, perhaps the way they should have bowled for the first 45 minutes of the opening day, India again showed that they are really a very limited bowling team.

Carnage

None of the bowlers made any headway as Chanderpaul, who got his third Test century in this session, and his captain got down to business.

No-one would have thought that at one stage, the West Indies were 44-3, about a hour-and-a-half into the game.

Certainly, the sold-out crowd must have had amnesia where that statistic was concerned.

If India were tired by lunch, the session after that first interval was carnage, as Hooper blazed the bowling everywhere.

It was as if Chanderpaul had instructions to be circumspect while the classical strokeplay of Hooper took over.

Best yet

Cool as a cucumber, Hooper charged into the Indian bowling, moving from 147 not out to 203 not out, with some real power hitting, so paltry and ineffective was the Indian attack.

The Indians did get a few wickets after the second interval as the West Indies tried for quick runs, but by then, the play had gone away from them.

Now, India, in the guise of Saurav Ganguly, Raoul Dravid and Sachin Tendulkar must bat, and bat well in their first innings, in order to save the game.

Day three has all the hallmarks of being the best yet, the standard Guyana rains permitting.