India closed on 99 for two - needing 260 to make England bat again - with Tendulkar 56 not out and Rahul Dravid unbeaten on 34.

Tendulkar reached his 50 from just 44 balls, thudding a 10th boundary to do so.

He has passed Geoff Boycott to become the eighth-highest scorer in Test history.

After England had passed 600 for the first time in 12 years to gain their healthy first-innings lead, Matthew Hoggard and Andrew Flintoff each gained a leg before decision in the first 10 balls of the Indian innings.

Hoggard's first ball caused much excitement as an outswinger beat Virender Sehwag, whose bat thudded into his pad, encouraging the clutch of close catchers that he had edged behind to Alec Stewart.

But first-innings centurion Sehwag was given out by umpire Rudi Koertzen when he bizarrely offered no shot to the next delivery which was of full length and hit his boot on the half-volley in front of leg and middle stump.

That was followed by the fall of Wasim Jaffer, somewhat harshly dismissed by a ball from Flintoff which struck the top of the pad and appeared to be on its way over the stumps.

Earlier, Yorkshire duo Hoggard and Craig White shared a record England ninth-wicket stand of 103, with Hoggard's 32 a new personal best.

White was left stranded six short of his second Test century when debutant Steve Harmison sliced Ajit Agarkar to point.