Chelmsford (England): Opener Shiv Sunder Das on Thursday became a front-runner to open the Indian innings in the third Test against England as he smashed 250 on the second day of the four-day match against Essex.

Das was the last man to be dismissed, as Indians were all out for 516 at the stroke of tea.

The Orissa player narrowly failed to beat Poly Umrigar's 252 against Cambridge University in 1959, the best by an Indian batsman on English soil.

Indians, who resumed at their overnight score of 331 for six on Thursday, maintained a blistering pace and the first hour saw 92 runs scored, 65 of them by captain Saurav Ganguly. In all, Indians smashed 185 runs in 39 overs on Thursday.

Das hit 32 fours and four sixes in his marathon innings, lasting 380 balls, which has virtually clinched him a berth in Headingley Test. The effort was also three short his career best first class score of 253 scored for Orissa last season against Bengal.

Ganguly was in an attacking mood and laid his bat at everything hurled at him by the Essex bowlers. He smashed 74 runs off 57 balls with 10 fours and two sixes.

Das, unbeaten on 165 on Wednesday, meanwhile reached his double hundred 35 minutes before lunch after batting for 480 minutes and facing 346 balls. His double ton contained 29 fours and three sixes.

Das, for a brief while, also showed aggression when he lofted off spinner James Middlebrook for two successive sixes to move from 178 to 190.

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Das slams unbeaten 165 to put India on top vs Essex