CHETESHWAR Pujara and MS Dhoni provided the sparkle for the Indians in the afternoon on day two of their match against Derbyshire at the 3aaa County Ground.
Pujara, who tormented England in their last tour to the sub-Continent, made an impressive 81 before retiring out and India captain Dhoni added 46 in a partnership of 119 for the fourth wicket.
Earlier, both Indian openers fell cheaply after Derbyshire declared on their overnight total of 326-5.
Murali Vijay was lbw to Mark Turner for six at 18-1 and Shikhar Dhawan followed in the next over, very well caught low to his left by wicketkeeper Harvey Hosein off Ben Cotton, having also made six. That made it 18-2.
Cotton was into an especially impressive spell from the city end. Though the slow wicket gave him no great help, he bowled with great discipline to take 1-6 in his eight overs.
Greg Cork almost made a memorable contribution with his sixth ball after replacing Cotton as Virat Kohli edged but the chance fell just short of Chesney Hughes at first slip.
Kohli was on 22 at the time but, in the second over after lunch, he tried to pull his bat away from a Cotton ball and deflected it on to his stumps to depart for 36.
Dhoni followed when he danced down the wicket to David Wainwright and was bowled, with Pujara retiring two balls later to make it 200-5.
Ravi Jadeja moved on to 46 before he fell to a diving catch at short extra cover by Turner off Wainwright but Stuart Binny (81 not out) and Ajinkya Rahane (13 not out) added 53 for the seventh wicket before the Indians declared on 341-6.
