Paul Collingwood's role as one-day finisher transformed itself on to the Test scene with his maiden hundred engineering a stunning tail-end fightback from England at Nagpur's VCA ground.

Collingwood, whose calculated calm is employed between the muscular hitters in the limited-overs team, struck 134 not out as the last three wickets reaped 149 runs.

Without that kind of resistance in the first half of the second day, India would be ahead in all probability. But despite an assured response they remain 257 adrift of England's 393, with nine wickets intact.

In a thrilling couple of hours, Collingwood shared half-century stands with Durham colleague Steve Harmison and debutant Monty Panesar, partnerships which redressed an under-par showing with the bat yesterday, after captain Andrew Flintoff won the toss.

''We were scrapping for every run and this is what the England team is good at. We fight all the way and that is what we will do for the next few days,'' said Collingwood, whose chanceless knock included four sixes and 13 fours.

''We were looking at anything in excess of 300 but I was confident of trying to get up towards 350 because I knew if you played with a dead bat it was very hard for the bowlers to get you out.''

When play began with the tourists 246 for seven, Collingwood's contribution was 53, a tally which barely grew alongside overnight partner Matthew Hoggard.

He was still 21 runs shy of three figures, in fact, when Panesar, renowned as something of a batting rabbit in the first years of his professional career, joined him.

Such was Panesar's assured manner, however, that Collingwood ignored a temptation to make a charge for his century.

''I wasn't sure how he was going to play so I tried to have a plan to farm the strike,'' Collingwood reflected. ''The balls he did face he played fantastically well so I had a lot of confidence after watching him for a couple of overs.

''He didn't seem too nervous when he came out and I thought he applied himself excellently.''

Collingwood got to his landmark in style, lofting Harbhajan Singh for six to get to within a single and then employing the aerial route again to clear Sachin Tendulkar at mid-on for three more.

The celebrations, which began in running the first, sparked a joyous response from the away dressing room for one of the most popular players in the squad.

Although it is five years since Collingwood made his international bow, this was only his sixth Test appearance.

He fell within one boundary of completing a hundred on the pre-Christmas tour of Pakistan, an innings which inspired confidence that he was worthy of a place.

''I got over a little bit of a hurdle in Lahore and that gave me the belief to kick on,'' said Collingwood. ''I will always get pigeon-holed as a one-day player because I have played 80-odd one-dayers and only a handful of Test matches.

''But I will keep applying myself and if I can bat like that hopefully I will change people's minds.''

Collingwood oozed class, nudging ones and twos to keep the bulk of the bowling during his late onslaught and charging down the track to hit straight sixes off Harbhajan, twice, and Irfan Pathan.

It was Harmison who triggered the change in tempo, however, after Hoggard nicked a fine delivery from Sri Sreesanth in the second over with the new ball.

A majestic cover drive off Pathan, which raced to the rope, opened his innings and three more boundaries followed in one Sreesanth over, the last of which brought up England's 300.

''Harmy came in and played a few shots which shifted the momentum,'' Collingwood admitted. ''He scored runs quickly,which took the pressure off me a bit.''

Over-exuberance perhaps cost Harmison a maiden Test half-century, when he charged at Harbhajan once too often and left himself stranded on 39.

Panesar's resistance spanned more than an hour before Sreesanth's in-swinging yorker rapped a boot, extending England's innings eight overs into the middle session.

Left with 50 overs to occupy, India lost Virender Sehwag before tea to a Hoggard slower ball which was mis-hit to cover.

There were no further incisions, however, as home captain Rahul Dravid dropped anchor in much the same manner Collingwood had on the opening day.

His serene progress was worth 40 by stumps, drawn two overs early due to bad light, alongside the recalled Wasim Jaffer, who survived two worthy leg-before appeals from left-arm spinner Panesar which umpire Aleem Dar may have misjudged. As it was Jaffer celebrated his first Test action since India's tour of England in 2002 with an unbeaten 73.

''Coming back to the team after so long meant there was a lot of pressure on him but the way he batted showed his character,'' said team-mate VVS Laxman.