Virat Kohli's maiden Test century and a late flurry of wickets offered India a rare highlight on day three, but Australia still holds all the ascendancy in the fourth Test with a 382-run lead.
Australia was 3 for 50 at stumps at the Adelaide Oval after India was again bowled out for a disappointing 272 thanks mainly to a stirring 5 for 49 by pace spearhead Peter Siddle.
Siddle was on a hat-trick at one stage and finished the innings with his best figures of the summer and his first five-for since Boxing Day 2010.
"It's been a while but I've been chipping away, so it's a nice little reward for a big summer," Siddle told Grandstand.
Leading wicket-taker for the series Ben Hilfenhaus returned 3 for 62 with Ryan Harris and Nathan Lyon picking up a scalp each.
Siddle said the trademark of the Australia attack was a comprehensive performance as a unit, with wickets coming from perseverance in partnerships.
"No matter the bowling line-up or who was bowling at the time, we bowl patiently and consistently and that's been our motto and it's working for us."
Resuming on 2 for 61, Sachin Tendulkar (25), Gautam Gambhir (34) and VVS Laxman (18) left India's first innings in shambles at 5 for 111, forcing the young Kohli to pick up the pieces with an admirable knock of 116.
The 23-year-old combined for a 114-run stand with second-Test rookie Wriddhiman Saha (35) that almost lasted the entire middle session only for the wicketkeeper-batsman to be dismissed in the last over before tea.
The determined Kohli, who played with a perfect mix of control and aggression, faced some nervous moments on 99 as Siddle ripped through the Indian tail and got under the abrasive Indian's skin.
But Kohli held his nerve and deservedly became the first Indian batsman to break three figures this series, reaching his first Test century in eight matches and emerging as the lone bright spot in an otherwise nightmare visit for the tourists.
"I was pretty pumped up," Kohli told Grandstand of his century celebration on Australia Day and India's Republic Day.
"I was keen to get that century. I missed it in Perth.
"It was just the emotions coming out, especially when we lost two wickets in two balls. I was thinking of Perth and I didn't want to be stranded down the other end."
Australia opted not to enforce the follow on after a tiring effort in the Adelaide heat, a decision the woefully out-of-touch Shaun Marsh would come to rue.
Marsh was out lbw to Zaheer for his third duck of the series after openers David Warner (28) and Ed Cowan (10) let their opportunities to finish the series on a high slide.
The Western Australian Marsh is now highly unlikely to be picked for Australia's tour to the Caribbean after accumulating just 17 runs at an average of 2.83 with Usman Khawaja first in line to get a recall.
Ricky Ponting and Michael Clarke ended the day at the crease together for the second time in two days, with Australia keen on leaving plenty of time to dismiss India again on a dry pitch showing signs of unpredictable movement.
Despite an ageing batting line-up failing ahead of him, Kohli - now Indian's leading runscorer in the series (278) overtaking Tendulkar (274) - made a point of playing his natural game.
"In Perth I was pretty conservative in the way I approached my innings," he said of his 75 in the third Test.
"But this was a pretty good wicket to bat on, so I didn't want to hold my strokes back because if you play through the line here you get value for your shots.
"I knew if I was aggressive and positive I was going to get runs on this wicket."
The former under-19 Indian captain said self-belief was the key to making it on the Test arena.
"It's more of a mental game than a technical game," he added.
"A lot of people with different techniques have succeeded in Test cricket.
"It's all about being mentally tough and now I'm starting to believe in myself much more compared to before."
Kohli was the first batsman to score a century against Australia since Hashim Amla's 105 in Johannesburg five Tests and 10 innings ago.
Tags: cricket, sport, adelaide-5000, sa, australia, india First posted January 26, 2012 19:39:25
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