Tendulkar played delightful strokes in his 74 while Dravid was as stubborn as ever during his knock of 63 as India reached 298-4 at close on the first day of their three-day match.

Venkatsai Laxman (25) and Yuvraj Singh (11) were at the crease when bad light stopped play six overs before schedule on a day when all the Indian batsmen got good starts but failed to score big.

The little master, who has a world record of 35 Test centuries, looked well set for another hundred before he was bowled by medium pacer Yasir Arafat in the fading light.

Tendulkar hit 10 boundaries during his 102-ball knock and added 67 for the third wicket with Dravid and 59 for the fourth wicket with Laxman.

India's top order batsmen, more importantly their openers Gautam Gambhir (53) and Waseem Jaffer (58), had a good work out in the middle after India won the toss and decided to bat first on an easy paced pitch in chilly weather.

The openers put on 81 before Gambhir cut straight into the hands of point off Mohammad Irshad.

He hit nine boundaries in his 84-ball knock.

Jaffer and Dravid added 72 for the second wicket before Test hopeful Umer Gul forced an edge off Jaffer for a regulation catch behind the stumps.

Jaffer hit eight fours during his 102-ball innings.

Dravid then fell to part-time spinner Imran Farhat, caught off a miscued drive at short mid-off after hitting seven boundaries.

India play Pakistan in the first of three Tests here from January 13.

(Article: Copyright © 2006 AFP)