By IANS
Adelaide : Sachin Tendulkar hit his 39th Test century and put India on top as the visitors ended the first day at 309 for five in the first innings against Australia in the fourth and the final Test match of the series here Thursday.
The Indians ended the first day with a good total that may have been better, if only they had capitalised on the reprieves they got from the normally safe Australian fielders. While Tendulkar marched to a chanceless century, Rahul Dravid was lucky to survive a close leg before appeal and V.V.S. Laxman was let off early. But neither stayed on long enough to make Australia pay for it, though Mahendra Singh Dhoni, still there after being let off at two, may do that on Friday.
At close of play, Tendulkar was batting with 124 and Dhoni with six after India captain Anil Kumble won the toss and elected to bat at the Adelaide Oval.
Brett Lee and Mitchell Johnson picked up two wickets each while Brad Hogg got one.
India, trailing 1-2, need to win the match to level the series and Tendulkar’s century has kept alive the hopes for the Indians to end the series with their heads held high.
Tendulkar made a slow start, taking 18 balls to open his account. But then he was impeccable in his timing and shot selection as he caressed Johnson for three fours in an over to help India past 100. The batting maestro was severe on the spinners Hogg and Michael Clarke.
As he approached his century, Tendulkar got more aggressive and hit a six and a four off consecutive Clarke deliveries to get to his 39th Test century.
With Virender Sehwag (63) and Laxman (51) he was also involved in two valuable partnerships, both of which rescued India from precarious situations. With Sehwag, Tendulkar added 40 runs for the third wicket after double strikes from Johnson reduced them to 82 for two.
Then with Laxman, Tendulkar added 126 runs for the fifth wicket at a time when India were reeling at 156 for four.
In the morning, Sehwag opened the innings with an unusual partner, Irfan Pathan (9), who replaced an out-of-form Wasim Jaffer. Pathan clipped the first ball he faced from Johnson for four but then kept missing, as the left-handed Australian fast bowler’s pace was too hot for him. Pathan’s brief stay at the crease came to an end after he edged an away going delivery to wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist.
By then India had raced to 34 in 7.3 overs, with Sehwag making a typically brisk start. A couple of edges flew off the bat through the slip cordon but that didn’t deter Sehwag from going for his shots.
Dravid was lucky to survive a big appeal for leg-before from Johnson when he was on three.
But, Dravid, who had inspired India to a superb win at the same ground on India’s last tour in 2003-04, was unable to capitalise on that slice of luck and fell just before lunch, when he edged an incoming Johnson delivery to Ricky Ponting at second slip.
After Dravid’s departure, Sehwag and Tendulkar set about repairing the innings. Tendulkar looked confident but Sehwag went through patches of brilliance and hesitation. He struggled with his footwork, but in between managed to find the ropes with elegant timing. Sehwag’s 90-ball innings came to an end when he needlessly flirted with Lee’s outgoing delivery and edged the ball to Matthew Hayden at first slip.
Tendulkar, meanwhile made his intention clear at the other end. He was particularly severe on Hogg and hit the left-arm spinner for a six over mid-wicket. But Hogg kept plugging away and was rewarded with the wicket of his ‘bunny’ Sourav Ganguly (7) trapped leg before. This was the fourth time in this series that Hogg has snared Ganguly and overall he has got the southpaw out six times.
Laxman, who came in at the fall of Ganguly, gave Tendulkar good support as the duo steadied the Indian innings. They hit back at the Australian attack with vengeance and sent the ball to all parts of the ground.
Laxman got a reprieve when wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist dropped what seemed an easy chance off Lee, when he was at 37. Gilchrist and Australia did not have to wait for long, as Laxman gave him a simple catch not too long after – the ball kissing his gloves en route to the keeper’s hands.
Dhoni and Tendulkar ensured there was no further damage, though Dhoni, too, was lucky to get a life on two. Hayden dropped him at first slip off Johnson.