A trademark swashbuckling innings by Virender Sehwag gave India a fighting chance of pulling off a historic victory over England after yesterday's intriguing fourth day of the first Test.

Chasing a daunting victory target of 387 in its second innings, India made it to 131-1 at stumps after a brisk opening stand of 117 between Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir.

No team has ever successfully chased down a fourth innings target so large in India and only three have done so anywhere in Test history.

At stumps, Gambhir was batting on 41 and Rahul Dravid was on two and will resume today when India's vaunted batting line-up must battle a deteriorating track and England's twin spin attack of Monty Panesar and Graeme Swann.

Fourth-wicket partnership

Sehwag's 83 off just 68 balls included four sixes and 11 fours and reversed the trend of a match that had looked in England's keeping after a 214-run fourth-wicket partnership between Andrew Strauss and Paul Collingwood, who both hit 108.