Sachin Tendulkar perished cheaply on his return from injury yesterday as India's top batting order crumbled to leave Australia in command of the third cricket test match.
Tendulkar scored just eight runs after a two-month layoff due to a tennis elbow, and India slumped to 95 for four at tea on the second day in response to Australia's first-innings total of 398.
At the break, skipper Rahul Dravid was batting on a sedate 19 and Mohammad Kaif was unbeaten on 15 after another unimpressive knock from V.V.S. Laxman, who contributed just 13.
Tendulkar was trapped lbw by pace bowler Jason Gillespie, while leg-spinner Shane Warne claimed a second-ball dismissal of Laxman.
Laxman cut a shot-pitched delivery straight into the hands backward-point fielder Michael Clarke, who missed his century by nine runs earlier Wednesday.
India made a shaky start to its run chase as Australian fast bowler Glenn McGrath celebrated his 100th test appearance by dismissing opener Virender Sehwag, caught behind by Adam Gilchrist for 22.
Gillespie elicited an edge from Aakash Chopra to Warne at first slip shortly after.
McGrath, 34, is Australia's second highest test wicket-taker behind world record holder Warne's 538-wicket haul. McGrath announced before the match he aims to become just the fourth bowler, and second paceman, to take 500 career test wickets.
Sehwag's dismissal, after a knock that contained four boundaries in one over from Gillespie, took McGrath's tally to 447 test dismissals.
Australia, seeking its first test series triumph on Indian soil in 35 years, leads 1-0 in the four-match series after clinching the opening test by 217 runs.
New Zealand vs. Bangladesh
Skipper Stephen Fleming smashed an epic double century yesterday before New Zealand declared with a massive first innings total to consolidate its grip on the second test against Bangladesh.
Fleming declared the first innings on 545-6 as unbeaten batsmen Jacob Oram (38) and Brendon McCullum (17) left the field at tea.
Fleming hammered 202 off 318 balls in 444 minutes at M.A. Aziz Stadium before being caught by extra-cover fielder Mushfiqur Rahman off part-time slow bowler Rajin Saleh. He stroked 21 boundaries and one six.
His dismissal in the second session came just after he reached the milestone with a cover drive to the boundary off medium-pacer Rahman.
Fleming's total was his second highest test score, after an unbeaten 274 against Sri Lanka in April last year in Colombo.
His removal ended his 83-run stand with Hamish Marshall, who hit his maiden test 50 before tea.
Marshall was dismissed on 69 off 145 balls, including six boundaries, after lofting a catch to Tapash Baishya off an Enamul Haque delivery.
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