Mohammad Kaif made a career-best 91 to pull India out of the mire on the third day of the opening Test against England on Friday after Matthew Hoggard had skittled out their top-order.
India were reeling at 190-7 after Hoggard's superb five-wicket haul, but Kaif led a fightback that saw the home side reach 322-9 at stumps, still 71 runs adrift of England's first innings total of 393.
Kaif was well supported by spin bowler Anil Kumble who batted defiantly for nearly four hours for his 58 runs, his first Test half-century in eight years and the fourth of his career.
Hoggard bowled his heart out on a slow pitch to rattle the famed Indian batting line-up before finishing the day with 5-57, his sixth haul of five or more wickets in a Test innings and his first against India.
"It was important for us to get a good start and we translated patience into practice to put the Indian batsmen under pressure," said Hoggard.
"Reverse-swing was the key and the ball started to reverse-swing early on. On the whole, it was a good day of cricket for us. It was just reward for day's hard work. With India nine down, we'd take that.
"Monty Panesar bowled exceptionally well, but we will have to bat well in the second innings to set up the game again."
Debutant left-arm spinner Panesar, the first Sikh to represent England in Tests, grabbed 2-72, including the prize scalp of star batsman Sachin Tendulkar for 16.
Kaif, who came in as a late replacement after the withdrawal of injured Yuvraj Singh, made the most of his opportunity, producing a quality innings under pressure before narrowly missing out on a maiden Test century.
The 25-year-old batted with great maturity and showed firm resolve to keep the England attack at bay, driving, cutting and pulling firmly in a 263-ball knock which contained 12 fours.
The pair equalled India's record eighth-wicket stand of 128 against England, a mark first set by Ravi Shastri and Syed Kirmani in Delhi in the 1981-82 series.
England removed Kaif and Kumble in the last two overs of the day to give themselves every chance of a healthy first innings lead.
Fast bowler Steve Harmison had Kumble caught by Alastair Cook at first slip and then Panesar knocked back Kaif's off-stump with a ripper that turned out to be the last delivery of the day.
England had chances to break the partnership earlier, but could not grab them. Kaif was on 18 when skipper Andrew Flintoff failed to latch on to a return catch as he followed through.
Kumble was let off on nine, dropped by wicket-keeper Geraint Jones off Harmison. He went on to hit 10 fours in his 168-ball knock.
England paid dearly for these lapses as Kaif and Kumble grew in confidence with each shot to spare India's batting blushes after an inspired spell from Hoggard.
The seamer removed skipper Rahul Dravid with his second ball and then accounted for Wasim Jaffer and Venkatsai Laxman off successive deliveries with shrewd variations in pace.
The hosts, resuming at a healthy 136-1, lost five wickets in the morning as Hoggard took three in his opening two overs and Flintoff and Panesar one apiece.
Hoggard, 29, started the slide when he trapped Dravid leg-before with one that came in sharply. The Indian captain, who fell at his overnight score of 40, had added 129 for the second wicket with Jaffer.
The England seamer was on a hat-trick after he dismissed opener Jaffer and Laxman with the fifth and sixth balls of his next over. Jaffer added eight to his overnight score of 73, which contained 15 fours.
Hoggard complete his five-wicket haul when he had Irfan Pathan caught by Flintoff at second slip.
SCOREBOARD
ENGLAND (1st innings): 393 (P. Collingwood 134 not out, A. Cook 60, S. Sreesanth 4-95, I. Pathan 3-92):
INDIA (1ST INNINGS - OVERNIGHT 136-1):
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W. Jaffer c Flintoff b Hoggard 81
V. Sehwag c Pietersen b Hoggard 2
R. Dravid lbw b Hoggard 40
S. Tendulkar lbw b Panesar 16
V. Laxman lbw b Hoggard 0
M. Kaif b Panesar 91
M. Dhoni c Jones b Flintoff 5
I. Pathan c Flintoff b Hoggard 2
A. Kumble c Cook b Harmison 58
H. Singh not out 0
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EXTRAS: (B-17, LB-3, NB-2, W-5) 27
TOTAL: (for nine wickets) 322
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FALL OF WICKETS: 1-11, 2-140, 3-149, 4-149, 5-176, 6-183, 7-190, 8-318, 9-322.
BOWLING: Hoggard 30-13-57-5, Harmison 27-5-75-1, Flintoff 29-10-68-1, Panesar 41.4-19-72-2, Blackwell 7-0-28-0, Bell 1-0-2-0.
OVERS: 135.4
TOSS: England
UMPIRES: Ian Howell (RSA) and Aleem Dar (PAK)
TV UMPIRE: I. Sivaram (IND)
MATCH REFEREE: Ranjan Madugalle (SL).
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