Mitchell Johnson grabbed three quick wickets to help Australia gain a slender advantage in the opening Test after India’s Sachin Tendulkar missed out on his 49th century yesterday.
India were comfortably placed at 354-4 in their first innings, before collapsing to 405 all out at stumps on the third day in reply to Australia’s 428.
Fast bowler Johnson finished with 5-64, his sixth haul of five or more wickets in a Test innings.
Tendulkar, the world’s leading scorer in Tests and one-day internationals, made a solid 98, before falling to part-time spinner Marcus North in the final session, trapped leg before wicket while attempting to play across the line.
He cracked 13 fours in his impressive 189-ball knock.
Suresh Raina scored 86 with 14 fours and Rahul Dravid made a solid 77, but India still failed to gain the lead.
Johnson, who dismissed openers Gautam Gambhir and Virender Sehwag on Saturday, again struck in the final session when he removed skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni for 14 and Harbhajan Singh for a duck off successive balls.
His fifth victim was Raina, who was trapped leg before wicket.
Tendulkar had played a key role in bolstering India, adding 79 for the fourth wicket with Dravid and 124 for the next with Raina.
Paceman Doug Bollinger claimed the first two wickets of the day, removing nightwatchman Ishant Sharma (18) in the morning and Dravid in the afternoon.
Dravid reached his half-century when he steered Johnson past gully for a four and looked set to play a long innings, before being caught behind. He hit 12 fours in his 134-ball knock.
Tendulkar, who never looked in trouble during his stay at the wicket, played some attractive strokes, twice driving Bollinger through the covers for fours and hitting Hauritz for two boundaries in an over.
Australian spinner Nathan Hauritz got his first wicket when he bowled Zaheer for 6 and then removed Venkatsai Laxman for 2 to end India’s innings.
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