MOHALI, March 9: The Pakistan attack learnt only too well what they were going to be up against in this series as India, with the murderous Virender Sehwag taking centre stage , made a high-octane start to their innings on the rain-hit second day of the first cricket Test.

That three hours and 40 minutes of play were lost mattered little to the Indians who zoomed to 184 for one by the close that came 10 overs early because of bad light at the Punjab Cricket Association (PCA) stadium.

India's bold reply to Pakistan's first innings 312 was led by Sehwag who stood five runs short of his ninth Test century and with him was Rahul Dravid on 39, the home side trailing by 128 runs.

The 27-year-old Sehwag and Dravid fully exposed the touring attack launching a massive assault in which Muhammad Sami, Rana Navedul Hasan and Abdul Razzaq were all mercilessly punished.

Sehwag smashed Rana for five fours and a six in his opening spell forcing him out of the attack after just four overs. There was no respite for the bowler though as he came back to get flogged further and ended the day at 49-0 in his 10 overs.

Sami and Razzaq did no better and almost got the same treatment. While it was trouble all along for the pace men, leg spinner Danish Kaneria was a stand-out, his bounce and spin forcing the batsmen to be watchful.

He picked up the only wicket to fall that of opener Gautam Gambhir, who scored a brisk 41 before being taken by Naved fielding at mid-on. India made the kind of start that would make the Pakistan openers go green with envy, Sehwag and Gambhir putting on 113 runs in an opening stand.

But once the left-handed Gambhir was dismissed in the 18th over after smashing seven fours, Dravid took over to continue the slaughter. "The Wall" looked solid as ever and there was no way Naved and Company could bring it down. Dravid hit five perfectly-timed boundaries and together with Sehwag had shared 71 runs for the unbroken second wicket stand.

Sehwag, who scored India's only triple century at Multan last year, could have been in the pavilion after getting only 12 but first Taufiq Umar put down a straight forward chance in slips off Sami, and then Younis Khan let him off Kaneira, when the batsman was on 82 with India 158 for one. It was generosity at its best.

So ruthless was Sehwag that his 50 was up in only 8.3 overs and featured seven fours and a six to third man off Naved and at tea India were 67 for no loss. Sehwag kept hammering the bowlers and by the end of the day had hit up 12 boundaries having faced 121 balls in a 166 minute stay at the crease.

Earlier play began as late as 2.20 pm as it had started to drizzle early in the morning, the covers were in place and fortunately the pitch was not affected. And as soon as they came off the Pakistan attack was put to sword.

All in all it was a bad day for the tourists especially Sami, who promises so much but hardly, delivers. He should have been quick through the air in overcast conditions but was a huge disappointment as were his mates.

Surely captain Inzamamul Haq and coach Bob Woolmer will now have some serious thinking to do in order to keep the rival batsmen in check, but that would be a tall order for an attack as mediocre as this.

SCOREBOARD