England, stunned by India's record run chase in the first Test, has little time to rue its poor finishing ahead of the second and final Test starting on Friday. Sachin Tendulkar scored a remarkable 41st century to inspire the fourth-highest successful test run chase, steering India to a brilliant six-wicket win in Chennai on Monday. India achieved a fourth innings target of 387 on a pitch where the odd ball spun and bounced off the rough. The host stays on course for a second successive series win after a 2-0 triumph over Australia. England is hoping to avoid its second consecutive defeat after the 2-1 home series loss to South Africa. The tourists won rich praise for dominating until tea on day four after resuming their aborted tour, despite security concerns, but that will provide little cheer to the players. Skipper Kevin Pietersen flopped with the bat and then revealed he had played with a broken rib, an injury sustained during the preceding one-day series. England is expected to focus more on its bowlers' inability to take nine wickets on the final day to negate the foundation laid by the batsmen. Opener Andrew Strauss led the way scoring 123 and 108 with Paul Collingwood (108) supporting him in the second innings. England bowlers failed to rein in Indian batsmen on a wearing last day pitch after left-arm spinner Monty Panesar went wicketless in the second innings. However, coach Peter Moores has backed Panesar and England's tactics, saying Indian batsmen's skills made the difference. “I have sympathy for Monty, who probably hasn't had a competitive game for four months because we didn't have our warm-up match,” Moores was quoted as saying in the England and Wales cricket board website (www.ecb.co.uk). “That's difficult for a spinner who wants to bowl some overs in match conditions. “As you go through your overs you get into rhythm so that's quite challenging for someone who is suddenly charged with the job of bowling out an Indian Test match team that are playing very good cricket.” India is in prime form after defeating Australia 2-0 in the home Test series and then racing to 5-0 in the one-day series against England before the last two games were called off. Explosive opening batsman Virender Sehwag set up India's improbable run chase by lashing 83 off 68 balls on the fourth evening. Skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni has won all his four tests as captain. Batting stalwart Rahul Dravid will be the big concern after scoring three and four in Chennai, prolonging a form slump amid questions about the future of his brilliant career. The 35-year-old, the team's sheet anchor and India's second highest Test run-getter behind Tendulkar, has looked uncertain this year belying his normally solid batting technique. He is expected to retain his spot in the playing eleven but could be demoted down in the batting order to help him play with more freedom.
