Two days into the Ferozshah Kotla Test and one thing is certain: India will definitely not lose the match. And that essentially implies two things -- either the hosts win and wrap up the series with one match to go (at Nagpur) or the visitors somehow manage to hold on to a draw, which, in present circumstances, would be a creditable result for them.
However, considering the nature of the wicket, the first scenario looks the more likely one. India not only won the toss but made the most of the opening two days -- which, according to experts, were the best from a batsman's perspective -- putting up a huge total of 613 for 7.
The notable contributions in the Indian innings were from Gautam Gambhir (206) and VVS Laxman (200 not out). It was a first instance of two Indians scoring double hundreds in the same innings -- and the first overall since Sri Lanka's Sanath Jayasuriya (340) and Roshan Mahanama (225) did so against India in 1997.
In reply, Australia scored 50 without loss in the 15 overs of play possible during the remainder of the session. They need a mammoth effort on Friday.
Morning session: (Runs: 97, Overs: 26, Wickets: 0)
Resuming at their overnight score of 296 for 3, India started well and continued well. Gambhir and Laxman continued to build on their respective solo efforts and that did serve the team in good stead. The duo has put on 236 runs for the fourth wicket.
Gambhir secured the single run necessary to surpass the 150-run mark, but it was Laxman who progressed at a better pace. He moved from 54 to the nineties in no time but then hit a speedbreaker.
However, the wait was worth it and a well-timed boundary off Cameron White brought up Laxman's 13th Test ton -- his sixth against Australia. His innings contained 10 exquisite hits to the fence.
The Australian bowlers were, to put it bluntly, hopeless. White was at his unimpressive best and when he did manage to find the edge off Gambhir's bat, probably for the first time in the series, Matthew Hayden failed to pick it. Can't blame the latter though. Even he would have been surprised like many others.
The other bowlers were equally disappointing and even a few good balls that were bowled were sent to the fence by the Indian batsmen, even if inadvertently.
Post-Lunch session (Runs: 122, Overs: 27, Wickets: 3)
This session brought some relief for the Australians, at long last. The visitors captured two quick wickets and finally got the much-needed breakthrough.
Gambhir first completed the formalities -- he was just nine short of a double-hundred going into lunch -- with a single off Brett Lee. And in the same over, Laxman completed 2,000 Test runs against Australia.
Then Gambhir fell, to the last ball of the session's ninth over -- Shane Watson's first over of the day. He played what seemed a tired-looking shot and only succeeded in dragging the ball on to his stumps. He scored 206, laced with 26 hits to the fence and a huge one, with which he brought about his hundred, over it.
India 435 for 4. A rather timid end to a spectacular 278-run stand for the fourth wicket. The bowling change had worked and Australia captain Ricky Ponting, who had bowled a couple of overs himself out of sheer frustration, suddenly became more enterprising and introduced another change from the other end -- Simon Katich.
Even that worked. Sourav Ganguly (5) came late to the crease and departed early, driving a Katich delivery straight to Ponting at short cover. India 444 for 5.
Katich almost got a second wicket when Dhoni drove straight back at him. However, he spilled what was seemingly a tough chance.
Australia got yet another breakthrough just 37 runs later, when Dhoni (27) edged a Watson delivery to Haddin. India 481 for 6.
Dhoni's 29-ball essay included four boundaries and a huge six.
Meanwhile, Laxman quietly surpassed the 150-run mark. And somewhere down the line Kumble also joined the party.
But, at least, there was some relief for the visitors, unlike the opening session.
Post-Tea session: (Runs: 148, Overs: 35, Wickets: 1)
It was the same old story, an encore. Australia, after making a comeback in the second session, let India regain control in the third. And the hosts piled on the misery, making a mockery of the opposition's bowling attack.
Resuming at 515 for 6, Laxman and captain Anil Kumble stepped up the ante to put on 98 valuable runs for the seventh wicket. Kumble was unusually belligerent and smashed seven boundaries in his knock of 45. Mitchell Johnson trapped him up front to get his third wicket of the innings. India 579 for 7.
Laxman, however, continued to move towards the second double century of his Test career -- his first being the memorable 281 against the Australians in Kolkata in 2001 -- in a workman-like manner. He finally reached the milestone with a couple off Michael Clarke and those couple of runs also marked the end of the Indian innings -- the declaration at 613-7 coming in immediately.
Laxman became the ninth Indian to have two or more double hundreds in his resume -- joining Rahul Dravid and Virender Sehwag (five each), Sachin Tendulkar and Sunil Gavaskar (four each), Mulvantrai Mankad, Dilip Sardesai, Wasim Jaffer and Vinod Kambli (two each).
His knock was interspersed with 21 boundaries, most of them perfectly-timed, something that has become a hallmark of his batting over the years. Zaheer Khan remained unbeaten on a whirlwind 21-ball 28 (five boundaries).
Chasing a mammoth 613 -- 414 just to avoid the follow-on -- Australia began cautiously. At close, Matthew Hayden was unbeaten on 16 (3x4) and Simon Katich on 29 (5x4).
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