Strauss back on song but misses ton

Strauss, whose England place has come under scrutiny due to a lack of productivity since last summer, made the most of a reprieve shortly before lunch to hit 96.

But his dismissal and two further wickets in the evening gloom meant England closed an opening day elongated by interruptions for bad light on 268 for four.

The 30-year-old was within one stroke of an 11th three-figure score in Tests when he used his feet to Anil Kumble but only managed to edge to slip.

It was only the third time in 18 Test innings that Strauss had passed 50 but significantly it was his second in as many appearances.

He was given a helping hand, however, when Dinesh Karthik dropped a straightforward chance.

A loose drive from Strauss, who was on 43, sliced to point where Karthik, a wicketkeeper currently in the Indian side for his batting, fluffed a simple catch at head height.

That life allowed the Middlesex left-hander to get to 50, from 109 balls, when he completed a quick single into the leg-side off Rudra Pratap Singh.

England captain Michael Vaughan - who has now won his last five tosses in Test cricket - spent an eternity compiling 79 and fell immediately after the second stoppage for bad light when he chased one from left-armer Rudra Pratap Singh, operating from around the wicket.

Wrist-spinner Kumble struck for a second time in the following over when Paul Collingwood made his first Test duck, in his 46th innings, undone by a googly which rapped the pad in front of middle-stump.