Gambhir puts India on top
29 October, 2008

Opener Gautam Gambhir completed an impressive century as India gained the upper hand on the first day of the third Test of the Border-Gavaskar series.

India began badly, losing Virender Sehwag and Rahul Dravid in quick succession at the start, but Gambhir steadied dressing room nerves as the hosts recovered admirably to finish the day in a strong position.

At stumps, India had reached 3-296, with Gambhir still batting on 149 and VVS Laxman on 54, the two having added 139 runs in an unbroken stand for the fourth wicket.

Gambhir had also pieced together a profitable 130-run partnership with Sachin Tendulkar, with the world's most prolific scorer adding 68 runs of his own before he fell on the stroke of the tea interval.

Australia paceman Brett Lee had found rare success with the new ball, accounting for Sehwag for just one run in only his second over of a fiery spell with the new ball.

Lee, who had a meagre four wickets in the first two matches, trapped Sehwag in front, catching the explosive opener on the crease with one that veered in slightly.

Johnson, who replaced Lee after the paceman had completed his first spell, struck another blow by dismissing Rahul Dravid for 11 in his first over.

Dravid's dismissal was more a case of poor shot selection rather than fine bowling from Johnson.

The former India captain chased a delivery pitched well outside off stump and only managed an edge which Matthew Hayden held neatly at first slip.

India were precariously placed at 2-27 when Tendulkar joined Gambhir at the crease.

Gambhir got off the mark with a square-driven boundary off Lee, but withdrew into a shell as wickets fell at the other end.

Tendulkar immediately relieved some of the pressure as he confidently negotiated the Australian bowlers. Determined not to go the Dravid way, he chose to leave deliveries sent wide of off stump, but hit Johnson for consecutive boundaries in one over as India eclipsed the 50-run mark.

Gambhir got to his own half-century immediately after leg-spinner Cameron White was introduced into the attack for the first time in the second hour after lunch.

Gambhir stepped out and drove through mid-off for a boundary and then nudged White to third man for three runs to get to the half-century.

White, Australia's only specialist spinner, conceded 27 runs in four overs as he was hit out of the attack.

Tendulkar reached his half-century, the second in the series and 51st in his career, but fell shortly later when he edged Johnson to Haddin, presenting the left-arm paceman with his second wicket.

Gambhir, who had struck only his second Test century in the second innings of the second Test at Mohali, only went from strength to strength.

Circumspect in the morning, he had rediscovered his old aggressive self as the day wore on.

The left-hander brought up his century with a six off Shane Watson, stepping down the track to thump the medium-pacer over mid-off.


Gambhir had consumed 190 deliveries for his 100, but remarkably the second 50 of his innings came off just 69 deliveries.

Laxman, who had joined Gambhir at the fall of Tendulkar's wicket, had in understated fashion brought up his own half-century.

Laxman had hit only three boundaries in his 50, but it came off just 70 deliveries even as Ponting turned to the left-arm spin of Simon Katich for a breakthrough.

The run flow - Laxman and Gambhir were scoring at just under six an over at that stage - ebbed significantly thereafter, but the wickets stayed intact.