Lara takes a single

Zaheer Khan had given India an early lift by dismissing opener Chris Gayle, and Lara was fortunate to survive early on as Javagal Srinath twice went perilously close to the outside edge of his bat.

The left-hander lacked his normal fluency, but was 32 not out at the interval with the stylish Sarwan just three runs short of an 11th Test fifty.

West Indies began the day with the intention of trying to bat India out of the game and give themselves a chance of squaring the series.

But only five balls had been bowled when Gayle was beaten by a straight one from Khan and given out lbw for 14.

They were unable to press home their advantage. however, with Sarwan quick to seize on anything loose.

He struck eight boundaries but batted in disciplined fashion to help carry West Indies into the lead, with Lara content to occupy the crease and restrict himself to only the occasional flourish.

India: Sourav Ganguly (capt), Shiv Sunder Das, Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, VVS Laxman, Harbhajan Singh, Javagal Srinath, Zaheer Khan, Ajay Ratra, Wasim Jaffer, Ashish Nehra.

West Indies: Carl Hooper (capt), Chris Gayle, Stuart Williams, Ramnaresh Sarwan, Brian Lara, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Ridley Jacobs, Mervyn Dillon, Cameron Cuffy, Adam Sanford, Pedro Collins.