India grabbed an early wicket after seizing a handy first-innings lead, reducing Australia to 34 for one in their second essay at lunch on the fourth day of the first cricket Test here today.
Resuming at overnight 515 for eight, India added another 57 runs to the total with skipper Mahendra Singh’s epic double hundred finally ending at 224.
In reply, Australia showed some early determination but opener Shane Watson (17 of 46 balls) fell to the last delivery before lunch to give India the upper hand.
Ed Cowan (13) was holding fort at the other end with David Warner to join him after the break on a turning track, where India opened the bowling with spinners at both ends.
Watson’s wicket went in off-spinner R Ashwin’s kitty. The ball turned and kissed the all-rounder’s glove before being safely taken by Virender Sehwag in the slips, giving Ashwin his first of the innings and eighth overall wicket in the match.
Earlier in the morning, Dhoni and tailender Bhuvneshwar Kumar (38) continued from where they had left yesterday and frustrated the Australian bowlers with deft strokeplay and quick movement between the wickets.
Dhoni, however, could not cross the individual milestone of most runs in an innings by a keeper-batsman, which will continue to remain with Zimbabwean Andy Flower (232).
Nonetheless, it was a career-best effort from Dhoni, who finally departed in the 147th over of the Indian innings. The gutsy skipper fell to young pacer James Pattinson, becoming his fifth wicket of the match.
Dhoni, who put on 140 runs for the ninth wicket with Bhuvneshwar, was dismissed after striking 24 fours and half a dozen sixes, including one this morning, during his 265-ball knock.