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India in control after Gautam Gambhir century

S. Ram Mahesh

Tendulkar and Laxman help consolidate after Sehwag and Dravid fall cheaply

— Photo: S. Subramanium

PICTURE PERFECT: Gautam Gambhir’s driving on either side of the wicket on Wednesday was memorable.

New Delhi: Gautam Gambhir reprised the old maxim that still goes around when gnarled, hard-bitten openers meeting for a drink contemplate that rarely afforded luxury of pluperfect batting conditions first up. After his captain won the toss, the left-hander “booked himself in for bed and breakfast” at the Ferozeshah Kotla on Wednesday.

Gambhir maintained his concentration for much of six-and-a-half hours, compiling an emphatic, undefeated 149 (285b, 20x4, 1x6) that gathered tempo through the day.

Gambhir’s second century in as many innings against Australia, and his partnerships of 130 with Sachin Tendulkar (68) and 139 (unbroken) with V.V.S. Laxman (54 batting), powered India to a commanding 296 for three by stumps on first day of the third Test.

Beginning with intent

Gambhir and Tendulkar were brought together after 10.4 overs — a passage of play the Australians had controlled by beginning with intent. Brett Lee, who hadn’t seemed himself in the first two Tests, often bowling below top pace, found Virender Sehwag’s tender spot, trapping the opener on the crease with a delivery that seamed in at 92 mph.

The vital signs of Rahul Dravid’s brief stay promised much. But having pushed with authority through cover and glanced to leg with the slightest turn of the body, Dravid was guilty of a lapse in concentration.

Mitchell Johnson slanted one across the right-hander. The delivery was so wide it hardly merited attention. But Dravid was suckered in, and the low, slippy edge was held splendidly by Matthew Hayden at first slip.

Tendulkar takes charge

Tendulkar took charge of the first phase of the partnership with Gambhir. Even as Gambhir endured an inexplicably scratchy hour, Tendulkar staged another of his master-classes.

So well-rounded is Tendulkar’s batsmanship that the single arresting feature, which is so much a part of the allure of most batsmen, is absent. Wednesday seemed a departure — his batting was no less wholesome, but the timing stood out.

Tendulkar forced Johnson off the back-foot and walked into a lingering cover drive off Lee in the first session before unveiling the whole range after lunch.

The advent of Cameron White’s vapid leg-spin — after 40 overs that saw Ricky Ponting try his three front-line seamers in two spells, and Shane Watson in one — allowed Gambhir to regain his touch. With none of Australia’s quicker bowlers finding the consistent reverse swing that would have sharpened their edge, overcoming to an extent the blandness of the surface, Ponting fiddled with his field to force the batsmen to think differently.

Tendulkar was confronted with a short mid-on (which at times expanded into an on-side dragnet), as an invitation to close bat face and play square.

Tendulkar resisted the entreaty, even permitting his scoring rate to drop. But with minutes to go before tea, he poked at Johnson’s lefty angle to be caught behind.

Gambhir and Laxman prevented Australia from making further inroads. Gambhir, in particular, was masterful after tea, showcasing the remarkable evolution of his batting; Laxman was more subdued, but attractive as ever.

Gambhir has recalibrated his alignment after the early struggles brought on by an over-eager bottom hand.

Where the slightly built left-hander once lost poise by opening up, he now stays supremely balanced. His driving either side of the wicket on Wednesday was memorable.

Not so memorable were a couple of run-ins with the Australian players. One unsavoury incident saw Gambhir stick an irresponsible elbow out as he turned for a second run with Watson in his path (after the bowler appeared to move towards the batsman during the first).

Another was an ill-tempered disagreement with Simon Katich (finally brought on for some reasonable left-arm wrist spin) on who had right of way in a scramble for the crease.

It’s a pity that these incidents intruded on an otherwise entertaining day.

Gambhir owned the copyright for its most breathtaking moment. Having progressed from 87 to 99 in fours, he charged Watson and swiped the fast-medium bowler over long-on for six!

SCOREBOARD

India — 1st innings: G. Gambhir (batting) 149, V. Sehwag lbw b Lee 1, R. Dravid c Hayden b Johnson 11, S. Tendulkar c Haddin b Johnson 68, V.V.S. Laxman (batting) 54; Extras (b-4, lb-5, nb-4) 13. Total (for three wkts. in 89 overs): 296.

Fall of wickets: 1-5 (Sehwag), 2-27 (Dravid), 3-157 (Tendulkar).

Australia bowling: Lee 19-1-70-1, Clark 21-8-29-0, Johnson 17-1-69-2, Watson 13-4-41-0, White 4-0-27-0, Clarke 9-0-34-0, Katich 6-1-17-0.

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