Gambhir ton gives India the upper hand

Oct 29, 2008

Australia made early breakthroughs with the wickets of Virender Sehwag - trapped leg before by Brett Lee ...•Getty Images

Sachin Tendulkar batted fluently and steadied India's innings•Getty Images

Not to be outdone, Gambhir followed with his half-century•Getty Images

Ricky Ponting tried to stem the run flow with new man VVS Laxman in•Getty Images

Laxman batted with grace and scored quickly•AFP

Ponting turned to chinaman Simon Katich who induced an edge from Gambhir which went past first slip•Getty Images

The Indians rose to applaud the pair who steered India to 296 for 3 at stumps•Getty Images

... and of Rahul Dravid, caught at first slip off Mitchell Johnson•Getty Images

Gautam Gambhir was the perfect foil and they took India to lunch with the score on 67 for 2•AFP

It was the first time both had been involved in a century stand together•AFP

Gambhir, however, batted with aggression and reached his century with a audacious pull that sailed over the wide long-on boundary•Getty Images

The Australians thought they had him when Johnson hit the stumps, but Laxman was safe•Getty Images

Gambhir and Katich got into a fiery exchange a few overs later, forcing Billy Bowden to intervene•Prakash Singh/AFP/Getty Images

Tendulkar brought up his fifty off 79 balls•Getty Images

But Johnson struck with the score on 157, getting Sachin caught behind for 68 in the last over before tea•Getty Images

It was his third Test century and his first at his home ground•Getty Images

Gambhir and Laxman forced Australia on the defensive during their century partnership•AFP

Gambhir kept his cool and finished the day on 149, having added 139 with Laxman•Getty Images