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ADELAIDE - Sachin Tendulkar treated Australia to one more special innings as he began his swansong here with a century which rescued India in the fourth cricket test at Adelaide Oval yesterday.
Tendulkar's unbeaten 124 - his 39th test century, five more than anyone else - steered India to 309 for five and saved them from having their reduced batting line-up exposed after Anil Kumble won the toss and batted.
It also fulfilled the Little Master's ambition of scoring a century on the same ground Don Bradman called home.
"Adelaide hasn't been a great ground for me, in '99 I scored 61, but otherwise it hasn't been a great ground, so I was determined to get a big one here," he said.
"It also happens to be Sir Don's home ground.
"When I was batting I was thinking of all that, I was just concentrating, but I've been very pleased that I've been able to get a hundred here."
India played a batsman short after selecting five bowlers and, after opening the innings with paceman Irfan Pathan, were a wobbly 156 for four in good batting conditions.
But Tendulkar's knock, warmly appreciated by a crowd of 19,654, gave the tourists hope of reprising their victory here in 2003 and squaring the series 2-2, although Australia have already retained the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
"In the first innings to put a big total on the board would be the key because later on the wicket might have some big cracks," Tendulkar said.
Australia can take heart from the fact they can still win, as two teams have scored more than 550 and lost tests here in the past four years, and quick wickets will be available today.
"The game's pretty even there at the moment," said recalled spinner Brad Hogg.
"Tomorrow if we can make inroads with the new ball and roll India before they get to 400 I think we're in the box seat if we can bat well and get in front."
Tendulkar is one of five Indians playing what will surely be their last tests in Australia and, despite his success on these shores, had never scored a ton in Adelaide, akin to a sweet tooth leaving a chocolate shop empty-handed.
But just like 2005, when the West Indies' Brian Lara signed off in Australia with 226, the maestro was up for one final encore.
He and VVS Laxman posted a vital stand of 126, which stalled Australia's progress after the controversial dismissal of Sourav Ganguly.
Ganguly fell to what looked a tough leg before wicket decision to Hogg.
Umpire Asad Rauf adjudged him out despite him being struck well down the wicket trying to sweep a ball which pitched outside off stump.
But Australia failed to capitalise, as wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist dropped a straight-forward chance off Brett Lee when Laxman was 37 and the score 240.
India added another 42 runs before Laxman fell for 51, caught behind, which drew Gilchrist to 412 career dismissals, one short of South African Mark Boucher's record.
Tendulkar (10 fours, three sixes) now boasts nine centuries against Australia, six in this country and two this series after an unbeaten 154 in the first innings in Sydney, which gives him 451 runs for the series at an average of over 90.
Thursday's innings drew him to 213 runs of Lara's world record 11,953 runs, and Tendulkar, 34, has signalled no immediate plan to retire.
He gave only one half chance before reaching three figures - a cut just over the head of backward point - but Australia were annoyed not to remove him when on 109.
Hogg and captain Ricky Ponting were convinced he touched one paddling down legside, although Gilchrist's appeal was half-hearted.
But umpire Billy Bowden said not out.
Mitchell Johnson (2-72) inflicted the early damage for Australia with two wickets before lunch, and then Lee had Virender Sehwag caught at slip by Matthew Hayden after an entertaining 63.
But Hayden also spilled a chance late in the day, dropping Dhoni on three when the score was 298 for five.
Despite India's recovery, Tendulkar and Mahendra Singh Dhoni (six not out) must get more runs today, as Australia (to India in 2003) and England (2006) both scored more than 550 in the first innings here and lost.
SCOREBOARD
V Sehwag c Hayden b Lee 63
I Pathan c Gilchrist b Johnson 9
R Dravid c Ponting b Johnson 18
S Tendulkar not out 124
S Ganguly lbw b Hogg 7
V Laxman c Gilchrist b Lee 51
M Dhoni not out 6
Extras (8b, 15lb, 1w, 7nb) 31
Total (for 5 wkts, 86 overs) 309
Fall: 34, 82, 122, 156, 282
Bowling: B Lee 22-3-62-2 (5nb), M Johnson 25-4-72-2 (1w, 2nb), S Clark 16-4-48-0, B Hogg 18-2-78-1, M Clarke 5-0-26-0
- AAP
