Adelaide, Jan 25 (IANS) Gritty half-centuries from captain Anil Kumble and Harbhajan Singh helped India make 525 for nine in the first innings at tea and piled the agony on the Australians on the second day of the fourth and the final Test match here Friday.
At the tea break, Kumble was batting on 86, cruising to his second Test century, and Ishant Sharma was on 14 as the Australian bowlers looked like a hapless lot at the Adelaide Oval. Harbhajan Singh also scored a brilliant 63 and overnight batsman Sachin Tendulkar made 153.
India were 405 for seven wickets at the lunch interval, and Harbhajan and Kumble added 107 runs for the eighth wicket in a determined way to help India achieve a big first innings score.
They showed remarkable determination while adding 46 valuable runs for the eighth wicket before lunch and in the post lunch session accelerated the scoring rate and spanked the Australian bowlers to all parts of the ground.
Harbhajan was severe on the bowlers and in his 103-ball innings he hit seven fours. The off-spinner was well set for his maiden century but fell to a slog sweep off Andrew Symonds to be caught by wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist.
Rudra Pratap Singh couldn’t provide much assistance to his captain and departed after failing to open his account. But Sharma gave apt support to Kumble and with his solid defence held the fort at one end while the India captain went for the big shots.
In the morning session, India scored a total of 96 off 26 overs and lost two wickets – Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Sachin Tendulkar.
India resumed the day at 309 for five in 86 overs, with Tendulkar batting on 124 and Dhoni on six.
Dhoni (16, 64 balls, 1×4) was the first to depart Friday within the first half and hour of play, caught by Andrew Symonds off fast bowler Mitchell Johnson after adding 10 to his overnight score. The batsman tried to cut the short-pitched ball hard but failed to keep it down. It went straight to the fielder at deep point.
Dhoni and Tendulkar, who had completed his 39th century Thursday, defied the Australian attack for 16.1 overs while adding 54 for the sixth wicket.
The Australian fast bowlers bowled a lot of short-pitched balls Friday morning. One such delivery from pace spearhead Brett Lee snared the prized wicket of Tendulkar.
Tendulkar, trying to fight fire with fire, played the pull shot but failed to middle the ball and it spooned to deep square leg where Brad Hogg completed the catch after charging in from the boundary.
Tendulkar and Kumble added 23 for the seventh wicket before Lee terminated the partnership.
Though captain Ricky Ponting put in place three slips towards the close of the session for Harbhajan and Kumble, they kept their wickets intact.