Steyn questions India's decision to bat first

By Sanjay Rajan

AHMEDABAD, India (Reuters) - South Africa's Dale Steyn questioned India's decision to bat first after his five-wicket haul helped dismiss the hosts for just 76 on the first day of the second test on Thursday.

Steyn, 24, picked up his eighth five-wicket haul including the scalps of first test triple centurion Virender Sehwag and Rahul Dravid as India were dismissed in just 20 overs on a green strip at the Sardar Patel Stadium.

The visitors consolidated their position, moving to 223 for four at stumps, with Jacques Kallis and AB de Villiers unbeaten on 60 and 59 respectively, for a lead of 147.

"I was surprised," Steyn told a news conference.

"I haven't played too much in the subcontinent, especially in India, (but) I've never seen a pitch like this, with so much grass. Maybe it played more into our hands.

"From what I read in the papers there was a bit of an argument between the curator and the captain of the Indians. They probably didn't get what they wanted.

"If they didn't get what they wanted then you have to ask the question: 'Why did they bat first?' If you always thought it was going to be green then maybe you made the wrong decision."

The India innings was in sharp contrast to the first test in Chennai, which was drawn after a five-day glut for the batsmen which saw 1,498 runs.