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Adelaide: Ricky Ponting and captain Michael Clarke hit unbeaten centuries to take the Australian first innings to 335/3 at stumps on the first day of the fourth and final Test against India at the Adelaide Oval on Tuesday.
Indian tactics were utterly perplexing as stand-in captain Virender Sehwag bowled 13 overs himself and R Ashwin, who took two wickets, was not unveiled at critical junctures.
It was another exemplary display from Clarke and Ponting who have almost batted India out of the match. The Indian bowling was ripped apart by the blistering knock of Clarke who came in later than Ponting, but went ahead of him at the end of the day.
Ponting and Clarke, who came together at the crease with Australia at 84/3, have added 251 runs for the fourth wicket.
Ponting hit 13 fours in his unbeaten 137, while Clarke's 140 was studded with a six and 19 hits to the fence.
Clarke reached his 19th Test century soon after Ponting reached his 41st hundred.
This is Ponting's sixth century at the Adelaide Oval and the fourth against India in as many Tests.
Ponting was just nine runs short of his 41st century as he and captain Michael Clarke took the Australian first innings to 214/3 at tea.
When he reached 81, Ponting became the third player in cricket history to reach 13,000 runs.
Ponting and Clarke took the Australian first innings to 98/3 at lunch on a hot sunny day.
Ravichandran Ashwin stuck again just before lunch as he scalped Aussie opener Ed Cowan to break the vital third wicket stand between the southpaw and Ponting. The pair added valuable 53 runs partnership to revive Aussie innings after early blows.
Australia lost David Warner and Shaun Marsh in quick succession after skipper Michael Clarke won the toss and elected to bat.
Indian pace spearhead Zaheer Khan trapped the dangerous Warner, who shuffled across a bit to work it but missed and was caught plumb in front of the wicket. Warner got the man of the match award for his match winnings 180 runs knock in the third Test but could not continue his form as he contributed only 8 runs.
Ashwin justified his inclusion as he dismissed out of form Marsh to reduce the hosts to 31/2 in 9.6 overs.
Australia have recalled off spinner Nathan Lyon in place of quick Mitchell Starc in an otherwise unchanged team.
India's stand-in skipper Virender Sehwag said the tourists had decided not to play with two spinners, bringing only Ravi Ashwin in to replace the dropped R Vinay Kumar.
Brief scores
Australia 3 for 335 (Clarke 140*, Ponting 137*)
