An intriguing first day of the first Test between West Indies and India ended with the two sides more or less even as the hosts closed on 34 for one in response to India's 246 all out.

Ishant Sharma had Lendl Simmons caught at short leg to keep India on level pegging in the final session after they were dismissed for an ordinary total on a pitch with bounce and turn, but Adrian Barath (26) and Ramnaresh Sarwan (2) saw West Indies through to the close in a cautious, sluggish fashion which was not at all in keeping with the action which had preceded their stand.

India were indebted to Harbhajan Singh and Suresh Raina for a sensational counterattack after Devendra Bishoo had ripped the heart out of their batting and reduced them to 85 for six.

The duo's response to this ominous position was to take the attack back to the West Indies, hitting Bishoo out of the attack before going on to register a 146-run partnership that formed the backbone of India's innings.

Ravi Rampaul accounted for Murali Vijay and debutant Abhinav Mukund to put India on the back foot, while Fidel Edwards had Virat Kohli caught behind in the batsman's first Test match.

However it was Bishoo's wickets which really unsettled India, as he had Rahul Dravid (40), VVS Laxman and MS Dhoni - the three senior batsmen in the touring party - all caught in the slip cordon.

That put India, who had won the toss and opted to bat first, six down and in a great deal of trouble shortly after lunch, yet Harbhajan's response was to swing his way out of trouble.

He hit his fourth ball from Bishoo straight back over the bowler's head and also went to work on Edwards, which eventually forced West Indies captain Darren Sammy to take a more defensive approach.

However the home side's bowlers never showed the control required to stem the flow of runs and Harbhajan went to his half-century in just 45 balls, with Raina reaching the landmark in the same over.

The second session brought an incredible 150 runs - a startling amount given the position India had been in - for the loss of Dravid and Dhoni, and put the visitors back in the match.

Harbhajan was eventually undone by a bouncer from Edwards, which he hooked out to deep midwicket. Bishoo had been stationed at deep square-leg with that shot in mind, and made a great deal of ground before pulling off a stunning diving catch.

That proved the beginning of the end for India, with Edwards' pace too much for Praveen Kumar and Amit Mishra, before Raina was the last man out for 82 - caught by Bishoo at deep square-leg off the bowling of Rampaul.

Although Edwards took four wickets on his return to Test cricket after a two-year absence, the day belonged to Bishoo for his three crucial wickets and three catches.

After India's frenetic innings the hosts elected to take a more pragmatic approach, and with India's bowlers giving very little away the second half of the evening session produced a run rate below two an over.

Although they produced a lacklustre score, India will still be confident of making their decision to bat first count having selected two spinners on a surface which is already taking considerable turn.