India's Saurav Ganguly falls down while evading a rising delivery on the first day of the third Test against Pakistan in Bangalore yesterday. Ganguly was 125 not out at stumps. - Reuters

BANGALORE, India (AP)

YUVRAJ SINGH and Saurav Ganguly slammed aggressive centuries to rescue India from a top-order slump yesterday in the third and final Test against Pakistan.

Yuvraj hammered a career-best 169 and Ganguly posted an unbeaten 125, his second successive Test hundred, that bolstered India to 365 for five at stumps on the opening day.

Kept hopes alive

India were tottering at 61 for four before Singh and Ganguly shared a record-shattering stand of 300 for the fifth wicket that kept alive India's dream of winning their first home Test series against Pakistan in 28 years.

India last won a home series against Pakistan in 1979, but lead 1-0 in the current series after clinching the opening match by six wickets. The second Test ended in a draw in the eastern city of Calcutta.

Singh and Ganguly, both left-handers, cut and drove with aplomb to launch a counter offensive against Pakistan's attack, charged by debutante Yasir Arafat's three-wicket burst that destroyed India's top order.

Ganguly's hundred was his 15th from 99 Tests and the second against Pakistan in successive matches, while Singh's third century came in his 20th Test appearance.

Playing in place for injured Mahendra Dhoni whose sprained ankle needs a week's rest, Singh leapt in joy when he reached his hundred with a cover-driven boundary off Arafat.

Singh's three centuries have all come against the subcontinental rival.

Ganguly's century came after the tea break, smashing part-time legspinner Yasir Hameed through the covers. That set the tone for the evening session which saw the Indian batsmen amass 173 runs.

The Ganguly-Singh stand surpassed India's previous best fifth-wicket partnership of 200 against Pakistan, which was credited to Sandip Patil and Ravi Shastri in 1984.

It also eclipsed the top fifth-wicket partnership in India-Pakistan encounters between Pakistan's Zaheer Abbas and Mudassar Nazar, who put together 213 at Karachi in 1982.

Singh 4-1/4 hour knock contained 28 boundaries and a six off legspinner Danish Kaneria over mid-wicket.

Stamped his authority

Coming in when India was in a shaky position, Singh stamped his authority by repeatedly dis-patching paceman Mohammad Sami to the fence.

Sami (2-103) got his revenge when he returned to the attack with the second new ball. Singh failed to get hold of a bouncer that he top-edged to Faisal Iqbal at gully.

Ganguly also started scoring mainly with boundaries, 10 of which featured in his first fifty.

India's injury woes saw star batsman Sachin Tendulkar being left out after aggravating a knee injury during the second Test.

Tendulkar's slot was filled by Gautam Gambhir, who was drafted into the squad on Friday.

Pace bowler Sami induced an edge from opener Gambhir (five) to wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal before debutante pace bowler Yasir Arafat (3-98) wrecked the top order by dismissing Rahul Dravid (19), Wasim Jaffer (17) and V.V.S. Laxman (five) in quick succession.

Dravid perished to a slip catch by Misbah-ul-Haq when he chased an outgoing delivery to give Arafat his maiden Test wicket.

Jaffer fell lbw as he shouldered arms to a straight ball from Arafat, while Laxman had his stumps shattered by one that kept low.

Pakistan's pace attack was hampered by the absence of spearhead Shoaib Akhtar, who went out of the ground soon after lunch complaining of back spasms. He was taken to a hospital, where a scan ruled out any serious injury. Pakistan's team management said he may return to bowl today.