Adelaide, Jan 25 (IANS) India made a poor start losing two early wickets after double centuries from Ricky Ponting and skipper Michael Clarke put Australia in command on the second day of the fourth and the final cricket Test at the Adelaide Oval here Wednesday.
Ponting (221) and Clarke (210) with their record 386-run stand for the fourth wicket helped Australia reach a massive 604 for seven declared in the first innings. Their partnership is the fourth-highest by an Australian pair for any wicket in Tests.
India were 61 for two in the second innings at stumps, trailing Australia by 543 runs, with Gautam Gambhir batting on 30 and Sachin Tendulkar on 12. India need another 343 to make Australia bat again.
India made a poor start on a lifeless track losing Virender Sehwag (18) and Rahul Dravid (1) in successive overs. Sehwag hit three boundaries for his run-a-ball 18 before giving a return catch to Peter Siddle, who struck with his first delivery of the match.
The 39-year-old Dravid was bowled again for the sixth time in seven innings in the series. A rising delivery from Ben Hilfenhaus deflected off Dravid’s elbow onto his stumps.
Gambhir was in good touch right from the start and stroked the first ball of the innings off Ryan Harris for four through the point. But two quick losses, prompted him and Tendulkar to see off the day without any loss.
Earlier, resuming at 335 for three Australia added 269 runs for the loss of four wickets before declaring the innings shortly after the tea.
Clarke and Ponting scored at a brisk rate. During their record stand they went past several records. They surpassed the partnership record set earlier this month by Clarke and Mike Hussey of 334 for any wicket for Australia against India.
Ponting and Clarke also overtook the partnership record for any wicket at Adelaide Oval of 341 by South Africa’s Eddie Barlow and Graeme Pollock in 1963-64.
The pair, however, fell two runs shy of the Australian fourth-wicket record of 388 set by Don Bradman and Bill Ponsford against England in 1934 at Headingley.
Clarke was bowled by Umesh Yadav (1-136) in the first over after lunch. Clarke is only the third player in Test history to score a double hundred and a triple century in the same series.
Clarke, who reached his double century before lunch, hit 26 fours and one six from 275 deliveries.
Ponting, who was under pressure to retain his place in the side ahead of the series, achieved his double century soon after the lunch break. The 37-year-old hit 21 boundaries from 404 deliveries. For Ponting, it was his sixth double century and third against India.
A stunning piece of fielding by Gambhir saw Mike Hussey run out for 25 while Ponting holed out to Tendulkar in deep square leg off Zaheer Khan (2-96).
Siddle (3) was caught behind off spinner Ravi Ashwin (3-194). Ryan Harris (35) and Brad Haddin (42) remained unbeaten.
