Zaheer Khan dished out an impressive spell of fast bowling, claiming five wickets for 75 runs, to put India on the threshold of victory at close on Day 4 of the second Test against England, at Trent Bridge in Nottingham on Monday.
The left-arm pacer's brilliant bowling, which gave him nine wickets in the match, helped bowl out England out for 355 in the second innings.
India, needing 73 runs to win the match, were 10 for no loss after batting out the last three overs on the penultimate day.
Earlier, captain Michael Vaughan led from the front, scoring a fighting 124 as England looked to inch their way back in to the match. Paul Collingwood (63) and Andrew Strauss (55) scored vital half-centuries, but Zaheer and Anil Kumble (3 for 104) bowled a good spell after tea to restrict them.
England were bowled out for 198 in their first innings after Zaheer Khan took four wickets for 59 runs.
In reply, India scored 483 in their first innings, Sachin Tendulkar top-scoring with 91.
Morning session: (86 runs, 1 wicket, 27 overs)
India have never lost a Test after taking a first innings lead of 100 or more, and that should encourage the visitors as they chase their first series win in England since 1986.
India's task was clear: make the most of the first hour, when the pace bowlers are the freshest. And it was Zaheer Khan who did the trick again, when he struck, claiming the vital wicket of Alastair Cook.
Cook failed to read the in-swinging delivery and was trapped leg before wicket for 23, the fourth time he has been dismissed in this fashion.
The wicket seemed to have fired up Zaheer as he made new batsman Michael Vaughan look like a novice, getting the ball to swing both ways from around the wicket. Vaughan didn't have a clue and once nearly dragged the ball onto his stumps.
Even Andrew Strauss felt the pressure as he took 15 balls to score his first runs of the morning. But once Zaheer was off after his first spell of six overs, the England batsmen had an easier time against the other bowlers.
Vaughan, who seemed all at sea against Zaheer, gradually blossomed against the other bowlers. Strauss also looked more assured as the duo looked to build on a bid partnership.
Strauss brought up his half-century, his 11th in Tests, with a single on the off-side in the 41st over as England progressed to 123 for 1.
Strange it may seem, but Zaheer was not recalled for even a few overs before lunch. Instead, captain Rahul Dravid opted to use the gentle medium pace of Sachin Tendulkar which hardly caused the hosts any problems. Even veteran Anil Kumble looked ineffective in the absence of any assistance from the pitch.
At the lunch break, England were 129 for 1 in 43 overs. Strauss was unbeaten on 54 from 126 deliveries, inclusive of six boundaries, while Vaughan was not out on 36, inclusive of six boundaries.
Overall, it was a good session, very hard-fought. England will be hoping that Strauss and Vaughan stay at the crease for at least a session or two.
Post-lunch session: (92 runs, 2 wickets, 27 overs)
As in the morning session, India struck early after lunch, getting rid of Strauss. The left-hander had scored 55 before he was caught behind off Zaheer, once again dismissed going for a big drive on the off-side. He added 81 runs for the second wicket with Vaughan.
It brought dangerman Kevin Pietersen, who had single-handedly destroyed the Indian attack at Lord's with that blazing century, to the crease. The whole of England must have hoped for another magical knock from him to bail them out of trouble.
Pietersen looked in the mood to do that, but the Indian bowlers did not allow him to get into his stride. They had a plan for him -- bowl tight and try to incite him with banter, as he had given the Indian batsmen a tough time with his constant chattering.
R P Singh made sure Pietersen's stay at the crease was brief. He got the right-hander to nick the ball behind, but the umpire turned down the appeal. Once again umpire Simon Taufel erred, and this time too the decision went against India.
But Singh was not to be outdone. He got his man the very next ball. Bowling around the wicket, the left-hander got one to swing back in sharply and Pietersen, not reading the swing, did not offer a shot and was hit right outside the off-stump. With the ball certain to crash into the stumps, umpire Taufel had no option but to rule him out, for 19.
It was a big wicket for India as England were reduced to 175 for three wickets. With more than 100 runs needed to make India bat again, it was now vital for Vaughan to stay as long as possible at the wicket.
Paul Collingwood took 14 deliveries to get off the mark as India tried to tighten the noose around the batsmen. But, with Kumble not making an impact and the pitch still good for batting, Vaughan had no problems dealing with the bowlers though Dravid continuously shuffled them around.
At the tea break, England were 221 for 3 in 70 overs, with Vaughan solid on 91. Collingwood was fighting hard and unbeaten on 13 from 46 deliveries.
Kumble desperately needs a wicket to boost his confidence, which he seems to lack at the moment. The veteran spinner is effective on all types of wickets, but here he appears short of ideas. But one wicket and you never know he could just run through the batting.
Sreesanth, though, was disappointing again in the session. He strayed on both sides of the wicket or just bowled within himself, unable to come up with anything special. Also, his attempt to get into the batsmen's skin seems to have affected him more than the English batsmen.
India must now look to get Vaughan out; his exit should, hopefully, open the floodgates. But the important thing is that they need to be patient and look to force the batsmen into mistakes.
Post-tea session: (134 runs, 7 wickets, 34 overs)
Vaughan completed his century soon after tea in the 75th over of the innings, bowled by Kumble, with a boundary on the off-side. It was his 21st century in Tests and came off 171 deliveries and included 15 boundaries.
It was a great, fighting knock by the captain as he showed his team the way. Wickets fell from the other end but Vaughan held on bravely while also scoring runs at a decent rate.
The partnership between Vaughan and Collingwood started taking proportions as the latter also began to find his footing.
India took the new ball in the 80th over but it was the batting side that profited as three boundaries came off the first over. It seemed that the two England batsmen had got themselves firmly settled at the wicket and India desperately need a breakthrough. And once again it was Zaheer who came to the rescue of the team. In his second over with the new ball, he scalped the key wicket of Vaughan. The right-hander was bowled in a strange fashion as he tried to flick the ball but ended up deflecting it on to his stumps.
Vaughan fell for a top knock of 124, which included 19 boundaries, but his wicket once again put India in the driver's seat after an impressive 112-run partnership with Collingwood.
Two balls later there was double joy for India when Zaheer trapped Ian Bell leg before wicket for 0. Again he bowled around the wicket to the right-hander who missed the in-swinger and was trapped leg before wicket. England were reduced to 287 for 5, which effectively meant that they were four runs for five wickets and now only a miracle could see them save this match.
Matt Prior got some of his own medicine back when he arrived at the crease. The England wicketkeeper had tormented the Indian batsmen throughout their stay at the wicket and this time he faced the barrage.
While Zaheer was doing things with the new ball, it was a reverse case from the other end where Sreesanth was operating from. The right-hander sprayed the ball around and was only looking to give the batsmen a mouthful. He seemed to have lost focus and his rhythm and was pedestrian.
One particular over from him, the 89th of the innings, summed the rough day that he was having. He had a caught behind decision down the leg side turned down by the umpire and to make his disappointment clear, bowled from round the wicket, overstepped the mark by a distance and hurled a fast short delivery at Collingwood. There was no intent at all to get the batsmen out; it was a show of frustration at a time when India were in search for wickets and wanted to make best use of the new ball.
R P Singh then bowled a magical delivery to get rid of Prior for 7. Again coming round the wicket, the left-armer bowled a sharp incoming delivery and the batsman could do nothing as the ball sneaked in through the gate.
The wicket of Vaughan had suddenly infused life in the Indian team. Now they were looking for the killer blow.
Zaheer took his fifth wicket of the innings when he got Collingwood caught in the slips for 63. It was his fifth five-wicket haul in Tests and he quite deserved it. Every time he came on to bowl he looked like getting a wicket. It would not be wrong to say that he single-handedly caused England's batting collapse in both innings.
Kumble tempted Chris Tremlett (5) with a flighted delivery and the batsman fell for the trap. He tried to loft him straight but could only offer an easy catch to R P Singh at long as England were reduced to 329 for 8.
Monty Panesar also did not offer much resistance as he fell for 4, caught on the leg side off Kumble trying a huge swipe over midwicket. England slid to 333 for 9, losing their last six wickets for 47 runs.
Ryan Sidebottom used the long handle to good effect as he raced to 25 from 26 deliveries, including four boundaries. However, Kumble struck from the other end when he bowled James Anderson for 1 as England were dismissed for 355 in 104 overs.
Zaheer finished with impressive figures of 5 for 75 in 27 overs, while Kumble gave him good support taking 3 for 104 in 25 overs. R P Singh also deserves praise as he came with a couple of vital wickets in his spell of 2 for 52 in 18 overs.
Zaheer's match figures of 9 wickets for 134 runs bettered his previous best bowling in a match, which was the 7 for 88 he claimed against Bangladesh earlier this year.
India innings:
India now needed 73 runs to win the match and go one-up in the three-match series. It remained to be seen whether they could finish it today with just eight overs left in the day.
India chose the safe option of playing on merit and not taking any unnecessary risks at the start against the new ball. One thing they need to guard against is the unpredictable English weather. It denied England a possible victory at Lord's. Now all Indians will be hoping it doesn't do the same to India.
