Pakistan's Misbah-ul-Haq hits out during the first day of the first Test against India in New Delhi yesterday. - AP

NEW DELHI (AP):

A DEFIANT innings by Misbah-ul-Haq resurrected Pakistan's first innings yesterday after a dire start to the opening day of the first Test against arch-rivals India.

India's debutant captain Anil Kumble led the charge for the home team as they reduced their neighbours to 142 for eight, but Misbah (71 not out) and tailender Mohammad Sami shared an unbeaten 68-run stand for the ninth wicket, patiently accumulating runs in a wicketless final session.

Misbah posted his first half-century in his eighth Test to slow India's charge and restore Pakistan to a competitive position, finishing the first day at 210 for eight.

Reprieve

Misbah compiled a watchful 4 1/2-hour knock that included five fours and a six off 204 deliveries. He got a reprieve on 69 when Harbhajan Singh at midwicket failed to hold a rasping pull shot off seamer Munaf Patel.

Providing Misbah with the support that he could not get from the more accomplished batsmen, tailender Sami (20 not out) batted for over two hours. Sami was content to play a supporting role, but managed to hit two fours and a six off 77 balls.

Kumble dismissed opener Yasir Hameed, Kamran Akmal and tailender Shoaib Akhtar to celebrate his captaincy debut at the Ferozeshah Kotla Stadium. Kumble (3-38) capitalised after pace bowler Zaheer Khan (2-31) rattled the visitors with two early strikes.

Top order jolted

Electing to bat after skipper Shoaib Malik won the toss, Pakistan were jolted by an inswinger from Khan that shattered the stumps of left-handed Salman Butt, who notched just one run in 21 minutes.

Younis Khan was then tempted by a bouncer to play a hook that sailed straight into the hands of Patel on the fine-leg fence.

Kumble introduced spin by coming on after 15 overs and did not have to wait long to snare Hameed, who misread a googly, played outside the line and had his off-stump tilted.

Yousuf broke the shackles with some aggressive strokes but in the second over after lunch he fell, lbw to Sourav Ganguly.

A duck for skipper

Captain Malik fell for a duck by edging Patel to wicketkeeper Mahendra Dhoni, but Akmal hit a brisk 30 before Kumble shattered his stumps with a flipper.

Rookie Sohail Tanvir (four) was trapped lbw by off-spinner Harbhajan Singh before Kumble returned to clean-bowl Shoaib Akhtar (two).

Pakistan suffered a setback on the eve of the match when pace bowler Umar Gul was forced out with a back injury and was replaced in the lineup by Tanvir.

Indian spinner Singh returned to the side after 1 1/2 years, while seamer Patel was drafted into the squad two days ago after two pace bowlers - Rudra Pratap Singh and Shantakumaran Sreesanth - were sidelined due to injuries.