Gautam Gambhir's unbeaten 53 helped India race to 104 for one wicket at
lunch on the opening day of the second cricket Test against Australia here
today.
Gambhir had Rahul Dravid (11) for company at the break after the Indians
thorougly dominated the first session.
Mahendra Singh Dhoni walked out for the toss this morning as regular
Test skipper Anil Kumble missed the match owing to a shoulder injury.
Dhoni's decision to bat first on the track was vindicated as Virender Sehwag
(35) and Gambhir scored at a brisk pace, making the Australian attack look pretty
pedestrian.
Gambhir opened his account by driving Brett Lee past mid-on for a four but
before debutant Peter Siddle hit him on the helmet wit his first delivery
in Test cricket.
Gambhir shrugged off the setback and kept going, while Sehwag continued in
one day mould, going at a run-a-ball rate. Sehwag imposed himself on Siddle,
hitting him for back-to-bac boundaries before turning his ire of Mitchell Johnson
and Shane Watson.
The aggression of the Indian openers forced Ponting to take away Lee after
a rather unflattering first spell of 4-0-23-0.
Just when Sehwag looked set for a half century, a Johnson long-hop brushed
his gloves and nestled into Brad Haddin's palm behind the stump. Sehwag partnered
his Delhi teammate Gambhir to put on 70 runs in 14.2 overs with his brisk 36-ball
35 that was studded with six hits to the fence.
Gambhir's unbeaten 53, his seventh Test fifty, included eight boundaries. India
blooded leg-spinner Amit Mishra in place of Kumble while Australia also
handed a Test cap to Siddle, who replaced injured Stuart Clark.
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