Nagpur:There couldn't have been more perfect a beginning to international cricket at the VCA Jamtha Stadium here. Sourav Ganguly's farewell and VVS Laxman's 100th Test had already built up the stakes, before Sachin Tendulkar made it consummate with a magnificent 40th Test hundred.
India closed the opening day of the fourth and final Test against Australia on 311-5 with the retiring Sourav Ganguly batting on 27 and captain MS Dhoni four not out, after Dhoni's decision to bat first on a batting paradise nearly backfired. But Laxman's calm 64 and Tendulkar's classy 109 steadied India with their 146-run fifth wicket stand before both fell in the final session of play.
A freak two-wicket burst from debutant Jason Krejza before lunch after being hammered around the park was not enough to slow down Tendulkar, whose latest milestone became his 10th century against the Australians.
The Australians have a reputation of giving it back to their opponents on the field. Michael Clarke was helped on to his century in the previous Test in Delhi by three dropped chances. Australia returned the favour to Tendulkar through Mitchell Johnson and Brett Lee, who grassed sitters when the batsman was on 85 and 96 respectively.
Australia seemed to have lost the initiative as getting rid of Tendulkar on the back of Laxman's wicket would have put on added pressure. However, Johnson's strike towards the end of day's play still keeps the game intriguingly poised.
It could have been worse for the Australians had a belligerent Virender Sehwag not thrown away his wicket for 66. The opener tore into Lee and Johnson, who went for five runs an over in their respective opening spells, which also gave a significant boost to debutant Murali Vijay at the other end.
The Tamil Nadu batsman didn't quite make the impact Gautam Gambhir has throughout the course of the series, but his contribution was no less significant. Vijay made a composed 33 and added 98 runs for the first wicket with Sehwag, who sped to a half-century in 45 balls, before a sharply rising delivery from Shane Watson forced Vijay to fend it off to the wicketkeeper.
Rahul Dravid's increasing hesitance at the beginning of his innings is a worrying sign for the Indians. His dip in form has been significant over the last two years, and his uncomfortable lunge to drop the ball down off Krejza only managed to creep up to his glove, and an easy catch to Simon Katich gave the off-spinner his maiden wicket in Test cricket.
But Sehwag was in no mood to step off the gas. He continued to treat the spinner as a practice bowler, but the easy runs made him complacent as he went for a cut too close to his body to drag the ball back onto his stumps.
As has been a trend all through this Border-Gavaskar series, Tendulkar and Laxman were again up to the task to not let the situation spiral out of hand. They forged a dogged 61-run stand on a wearing fifth day wicket in Bangalore, and joined hands to add 52 to put the third Test in Delhi beyond Australia's reach. They were at it again, with Tendulkar shedding caution for daredevilry, while Laxman remained at ease with the bowlers, particularly Johnson, keeping it wide of the stumps.
Figures of 3-138 with an economy rate of a shade under five doesn't quite reflect on the impact Jason Krejza had on the opening day. Not only with wickets, Krejza seemed to have benefited from Bishan Bedi's briefing in Delhi, as he gave the ball significant loop which got him appreciable purchase in terms of turn and bounce.
However, Krejza's exploits also give inkling on the pitch, which assisted spin on day one and is bound to keep Harbhajan Singh and Amit Mishra interested.
Rahul Dravid's increasing hesitance at the beginning of his innings is a worrying sign for the Indians. His dip in form has been significant over the last two years, and his uncomfortable lunge to drop the ball down off Krejza only managed to creep up to his glove, and an easy catch to Simon Katich gave the off-spinner his maiden wicket in Test cricket.
But Sehwag was in no mood to step off the gas. He continued to treat the spinner as a practice bowler, but the easy runs made him complacent as he went for a cut too close to his body to drag the ball back onto his stumps.
As has been a trend all through this Border-Gavaskar series, Tendulkar and Laxman were again up to the task to not let the situation spiral out of hand. They forged a dogged 61-run stand on a wearing fifth day wicket in Bangalore, and joined hands to add 52 to put the third Test in Delhi beyond Australia's reach. They were at it again, with Tendulkar shedding caution for daredevilry, while Laxman remained at ease with the bowlers, particularly Johnson, keeping it wide of the stumps.
Figures of 3-138 with an economy rate of a shade under five doesn't quite reflect on the impact Jason Krejza had on the opening day. Not only with wickets, Krejza seemed to have benefited from Bishan Bedi's briefing in Delhi, as he gave the ball significant loop which got him appreciable purchase in terms of turn and bounce.
However, Krejza's exploits also give inkling on the pitch, which assisted spin on day one and is bound to keep Harbhajan Singh and Amit Mishra interested.
