Bloemfontein, Nov. 3 :    Bloemfontein, Nov. 3:  India 372/7 With South Africa set to land the knockout punch, that too with the Test series not even one session old, Sachin Tendulkar counterattacked as only he can and, in doing so, authored a sublime innings. Yet, by stumps on Day-I at the Goodyear Park, debutant Virender Sehwag also took centrestage, becoming the 11th Indian to score a hundred on debut. Till the other day, of course, he was a one-day specialist and only played here because of Harbhajan Singh's non-availability. Now, equations are bound to be different. Well, that is something for the future. For the present, it's time to raise a toast to the Sachin-Sehwag twosome. It would have been disastrous, for the entire three-Test series, had the South Africans been allowed to comfortably pocket the opening day's honours. As it turned out, India posted their first 300-plus total in five Tests. Great stuff, really. Sachin and Sehwag came together at 68 for four, well before lunch, and were unseparated for the next 220 runs and 199 minutes. This record-erasing partnership ended with Sachin's dismissal (via a pull off Makhaya Ntini). By then, it already was India's day. Sehwag, by the way, became India's first Test centurion under floodlights. Clearly, there is no dearth of batsmen in the big league. Some are gifted, others mere pretenders. There is only one Sachin, though. He required 15 balls to get off the mark but, once he took charge, he sent the South African bowlers to all corners of the Park. Sachin, making a comeback after missing the series in Sri Lanka, eventually fell for 155 (233 minutes, 184 deliveries, 23x4, 1x6). Significantly, in reaching his 26th Test hundred, and third versus South Africa, Sachin joined the 7,000 club. In fact, he became the youngest entrant and surpassed Sir Don Bradman's career-total of 6,996. Sachin won't - well, nobody will - eclipse Sir Don's phenomenal average, but with years to go, he is already past cricket's No.1 icon. Sachin, who declined to compare today's hundred with any previous one, found a perfect ally in Sehwag. It was, in many ways, baptism by fire yet Sehwag didn't flinch. The story could have been very different had Sehwag not helped in the superb repair work. The previous best for the fifth-wicket against South Africa was 87 at Kingsmead (1992-93), by Mohammed Azharuddin and Pravin Amre. For Sehwag, his debut itself was a great moment and he made the most of it. That his idol, Sachin, was at the other end, helped him stay calm. He himself acknowledged as much: 'Sachin asked me to take it easy and play my natural game. That's what I did.' While Sachin didn't exactly get out to a wicket-taking ball, Sehwag exited to a beauty from Shaun Pollock. By then, however, Sehwag had joined a most exclusive bunch. His 105 came in 271 minutes off 173 deliveries (19x4). 'Great knocks, what else do I say?' remarked captain Sourav Ganguly, when a comment was sought by The Telegraph. He added: 'Now that we've got this far, we must not let go the initiative.' Indeed, after the early smiles and high-fives, the South Africans were forced to re-draw strategy well before tea (255 for four). After all, India were well on their way to dictating terms. Moreover, with Pollock having chosen to insert India, South Africa would have to bat last. Though the move flopped, Pollock couldn't have done otherwise. Having packed his XI with quicks and the wicket offering more grass than usual, it was a predictable decision. The wicket actually was pretty lively and there was movement in the air as well. Even late in the day, the ball swung. It's another matter that Sachin made the wicket look different. Also, the South Africans began to bowl short, allowing the pressure to ease. If the first session (123 for four) wasn't short on drama, there was plenty of it before the toss as well: Harbhajan's non-availability got confirmed and, then, Samir Dighe pulled a back muscle. So, in came down to Sehwag and Deep Dasgupta. Two debutants when the team management had no plans (till even yesterday morning) to cap anybody! Thankfully, the debutants didn't disappoint. For his part, Deep was unbeaten on a courageous (and strokeful) 29 at stumps, surviving the second new ball. Anil Kumble, unfortunately, fell on the day's last delivery. The innings was launched by the makeshift pair of Shiv Sundar Das and Rahul Dravid and, with caution being the mood, the first run off the bat came in the fourth over. Not much later, Dravid left, surprised by the bounce from Pollock. He was well taken by Jacques Kallis. Less than ten overs hence, after making a determined effort to drop anchor, Shiv Sundar played on (to Mornantau Hayward) and the Indians were quickly in trouble. That V. V. S. Laxman had begun to respond with pluck didn't exactly help much. In any case, Laxman didn't survive for long: His 45-minute and 30-delivery cameo ended when Mark Boucher took him off the gloves, on the leg-side. Wicket No.2 for Hayward. Sourav, realising the South African quicks had to be tackled head-on, went for his shots. However, he was dismissed in controversial manner (after a let-off on six). Kallis unleashed a snorter and Sourav couldn't but make contact. The ball headed for the slips-gully cordon and a flying Gary Kirsten claimed a clean catch. Dave Orchard referred the appeal to third-umpire Ian Howell who, after a series of TV replays, ruled against the Indian captain. It appeared, though, there was some doubt and the benefit ought to have gone to the batsman. Incidentally, Sourav crossed a personal milestone, going beyond 3,000 runs. Sourav's exit brought Sachin and Sehwag together, heralding the start of that outstanding partnership. It was Sachin who exploded, clubbing Ntini for three fours in his second over and, then, taking as many boundaries off Kallis. The Sachin fireworks propelled India to 123 for four at lunch. The second session saw 132 being totalled, with Sachin himself moving from 43 to 132 and Sehwag adding 41 to his luncheon score of 11. Pollock kept persisting with his frontline quicks, without success, and the introduction of Lance Klusener didn't help either. Hayward did have his moments, like when Sachin ducked into a short one from him, but two balls later, it was Sachin who took another four off him. Sachin's drives, especially, were ethereal as he collected runs on both sides of the wicket. In front and behind the timber as well. While the purists would be hard pressed to choose Sachin's shot of the day, the most outrageous surely had to be what can best be described as a very late cut off a Kallis flyer. It fetched six runs. As natural light deteriorated in the final session, the floodlights were switched on. Should conditions so demand, their usage is now mandatory at venues which have the facility. Task No.1, now, for India is to break the 400-barrier. Psychologically, it will hit the South Africans hard, and negate the 'comeback' they made in the last session this evening.