Dellmar: England batsman Alastair Cook (left) gets home in the nick of time to beat this run-out attempt, as the West Indies' Chris Gayle (right) reacts during play in the first Test at Lord's.

CHITTAGONG, Bangladesh (Reuters):

Half centuries from four batsmen put India in command at 295 for three at the close of the opening day of the first Test against Bangladesh yesterday. Sachin Tendulkar (80) and Saurav Ganguly (82) were not out at the close after useful knocks from opener Dinesh Karthik (56) and captain Rahul Dravid (61).

Tendulkar played 137 balls and hit seven boundaries while Ganguly faced 132 balls and hit two sixes and 10 fours, to see off a seven-bowler Bangladesh attack.

Solid partnership

India lost opener Wasim Jaffer off the first ball of the match but Karthik and Dravid settled into a solid partnership of 124 before both men fell in quick succession before the tea break when they had reached 181 for three.

There was a 55-minute rain delay after lunch before Karthik was caught at mid-off by Mohammad Ashraful off paceman Mashrafe Mortaza.

Dravid was the next out with the score on 132, caught behind by wicketkeeper Khaled Mashud from a Shahadat Hossain delivery.

Karthik played 102 balls, hitting eight fours, while Dravid faced 99 balls with 11 boundaries.

Mortaza was the pick of the bowlers, returning figures of two for 55 from 15 overs.