Visitors 62/2 at stumps, trail by 542
Adelaide: India faced a gigantic battle to save the match following two early dismissals after Australia rode on double centuries by skipper Michael Clarke and Ricky Ponting to declare at a mammoth 604 for seven in the fourth and final cricket Test here on Wednesday.
India were at a shaky 61 for 2 in reply from the 21 overs possible after Australia declared their first innings about half an hour after tea on the second day.
Gautam Gambhir (30) and Sachin Tendulkar (12) will carry the fight tomorrow while their team is still 543 runs in arrears.
Clarke, resuming on 140, made 210 and was out immediately after lunch when a Umesh Yadav delivery flicked his pads and crashed on to his stumps. Ponting departed much later for 221 when he pulled Zaheer Khan firmly but straight to Sachin Tendulkar at backward square leg fence.
The two put on 386 runs for the fourth wicket which is the second best ever by an Australian pair. Sir Don Bradman and Bill Ponsford put on 388 runs together against England at Headingley in 1934.
Replying to Australia’s monumental effort, Virender Sehwag (18) and Rahul Dravid (1) were the two early blows India suffered in their innings and neither the pitch nor the deliveries merited their dismissals.
The first ball of Peter Siddle was a low full toss on Sehwag’s leg stump. Sehwag aimed to play it on the onside but closed the face of his bat too early.
He thus miscued on the left of the bowler who somehow stuck his left hand out and caught it splendidly while still in his follow through.
Sehwag already had a slice of luck in his favour when he was dropped by Ed Cowan on five at the total 13 for no loss. (PTI)
SCOREBOARD
Australia 1st innings:
Cowan c Laxman b Ashwin 30
Warner lbw b Zaheer 8
Marsh b Ashwin 3
Ponting c Sachin b Zaheer 221
Clarke b Yadav 210
Hussey run out 25
Haddin not out 42
Siddle c Saha b Ashwin 2
Harris not out 35
Total: (7 wkts in 157 overs)604 decl
Fall of wickets: 1/26 2/31 3/84 4/470 5/520 6/530 7/533
Bowling: Zaheer 31-4-96-2, Yadav 26-1-136-1, Ashwin 53-6-194-3, Ishant 30-6-100-0, Sehwag 16-0-55-0, Virat Kohli 1-0-3-0.
India Ist Innings:
Gambhir batting 30
Sehwag c and b Siddle 18
Dravid b Hilfenhaus 1
Sachin batting 12
Total: (For 2 wkts in 21 overs) 61
Fall of wickets: 1/26 2/31
Bowling:Harris 6-2-18-0, Hilfenhaus 6-1-21-1, Siddle 3-0-13-1, Lyon 5-2-9-0, Clarke 1-1-0-0.
