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Tendulkar, Vijay put India in driver's seat
It was all India on Day 3 of the second Test in Bangalore, thanks to some brilliant batting display by Sachin Tendulkar and Murali Vijay.
India ended the day on 435 for 5, still trailing by 43 runs, with Sachin Tendulkar (191) and captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni (11) still at the crease.
Both batsmen played with an aggressive intent and kept the pressure on the Aussies right through the first two sessions.
Tendulkar started the day positively, hitting Nathan Hauritz to the boundary off the first ball of the day. Two balls later, the Master Blaster repeated the act and with this registered his 58th Test fifty.
Vijay at the other end was in an equally aggressive mood. He took on Mitchell Johnson to open his account for the day with a square drive to point boundary in the next over, to bring up the 100-run partnership.
Tendulkar completes 49th Test ton
Tendulkar went on to score his 49th Test ton after consecutive sixes off the bowling off Nathan Hauritz.
After 61 overs (at lunch), the home team had made 224 for two. Tendulkar was unbeaten on 106 and Vijay on 73.
After ensuring that Australia go wicket-less in the opening session, the Indian pair consolidated their innings and played in the same vein of form in the middle innings.
Vijay began proceedings with a boundary off Hilfenhaus, in the second ball after resumption. He survived a loud leg before appeal three balls later.
He then stepped up the gear against Hauritz, driving him through the covers. Two balls later, he hit a straight six, thereby bringing on the 200-run stand for the third wicket.
It was the highest ever partnership for the wicket for India against Australia.
Murali Vijay strikes maiden century
In the second session of the day, the duo batted with understanding and took their unbroken second-wicket partnership to 276.
When on 116, Tendulkar also completed 3000 test runs against Australia, thereby becoming only the third batsman - after Jack Hobbes (3636) and David Gower (3269) to acheive the feat.
Vijay's maiden Test century came after lunch when he pushed one off paceman Peter George towards covers.
Vijay survived a scare while on 97 as he played one in the air off Nathan Hautitz but the ball just fell short of Ricky Ponting at short mid-wicket.
Vijay's previous best was 87, which he scored against Sri Lanka in December 2009.
Johnson gives Australia breakthrough late in the day
Ponting took the second new ball just at the fag end of the second session but Tendulkar leg-glanced the first ball of Mitchell Johnson for a four.
However, the paceman came back strongly and provided the much-needed breakthrough after tea.
The left-arm quick had Murali Vijay (139) caught behind. The youngster's 310-ball knock was inclusive of 14 hits to the fence and three over it.
And his dismissal brought to the crease debutant Cheteshwar Pujara (4). However, he lasted just three balls, before being trapped leg before.
Then Clarke had Suresh Raina (32) caught by Ben Hilfenhaus.
Tendulkar surpassed the 150-run mark soon after tea. In doing so he ensured him yet another record: of most 150-plus scores in Test cricket.