Going into the second U19 'Test' against England at Chennai, Gautam Gambhir's happiness at India's victory in the first 'Test' a week earlier in Mumbai must have been sobered by the realisation that the team expected a bigger contribution from him.

England won the toss and, electing to bat, were bowled out for 399 after lunch on the second day. Indian openers Vinayak Mane and Gambhir added a brisk 33 for the first wicket in seven overs before both were prised out in quick succession. Mane was bowled by Andrew McGarry and six runs later Gambhir, in the gangling Chris Tremlett's first over, cut uppishly at a short one only to see John Sadler at point coming in the way. The Delhi lad's 23 had come off just 29 balls and again that feeling must have persisted at the back of his mind that he had thrown his wicket away.

Reaching an uncomfortable 122/4 at stumps, the Indians subsided for 231 on the third afternoon and faced the indignity of being asked to follow on. Trailing by 168 with almost five sessions left in the game, a demanding task lay ahead of the batsmen if England were not to claw their way back into the series. Stepping out to take strike for the second time, Gambhir and Mane were only too aware that they owed the team a strong foundation at the head of the innings.

Gambhir had made a mental note that he would take full toll of any generosity by the English bowlers. The tone was set right from the first ball of the innings, bowled by McGarry. Short and outside the off stump, Gambhir might have been forgiven for letting it go by harmlessly. As he guided it safely past point for four, Gambhir stamped an unmistakable sense of authority over the proceedings. It would be another six hours before England would return him to the confines of the dressing room.

Gambhir and fellow opener Mane proceeded to expose the inadequacy of the English attack on a bland wicket with a barrage of attacking shots. Gambhir repeatedly sliced the ball away square of the wicket on the off side as the bowlers erred in length and his backfoot punches through the covers were breathtaking. The runs mounted with Mane keeping up his end of the bargain at the other end. Gambhir reached his fifty off 69 balls and his hundred off 112, whipping Gordon Muchall off his legs for his 15th boundary.

He rode his luck, being dropped twice en route to his century, but staying undefeated on 121 as India went into stumps on the third evening at 241/0, having wiped out the deficit and raised a lead of 73. Next morning, the stand blossomed to 391 before Mane, having beaten Gambhir to his double century, fell. Gambhir reached the landmark at the stroke of lunch and celebrated after the interval by stepping to the pitch of the ball and lofting John Sadler over long off for his second six. He was finally run out for 212 (241 balls, 25 fours, 2 sixes) as India declared at 492, setting their opponents a target of 325 in 41 overs, which they understandably declined to chase.