Mohali: Zaheer Khan recorded his 10th five-wicket haul in Test cricket, but Australia went on to post an impressive 428 runs on the second day of the first Test between India and Australia for the Gavaskar-Border Trophy at the Mohali Cricket Stadium.
It was a frustrating day for the Indian bowlers but their opening batsman Virender Sehwag, equaling the world record for the highest number of consecutive half centuries, breathed life into the Test match, which at one stage looked like crawling towards a draw.
Though India dismissed Shane Watson, who hit a brilliant 126 at the score on 275, Australia's lower order batsmen guided their team to a total which was unimaginable at that stage.
The star of the day was Tim Paine, who cracked a fighting 92 studded with 12 boundaries. He managed good support from Mitchelle Johnson (47), and together they put on 82 invaluable runs for the seventh wicket.
Paine also used No.10 batsman Ben Hilfenhaus, who remained unbeaten with 20 runs, to put on 54 runs for the ninth wicket. The Australian batting was a clear reflection of their fighting spirit under the toughest of odds.
India's day-long frustration ended when Pragyan Ojha, who bowled a tight length, finally got a wicket of Doug Bollinger in his 52nd over.
Though Ishant Sharma returned to action despite a knee injury, he was ineffective in his four overs.
If not for Khan's spell of 5 for 94, India's gamble of playing only two pacers may have got them to chase a bigger total.
In the 26 overs remaining for the close of play, India scored 110 for 2. Virender Sehwag entertained the spectators with a breezy half century off just 38 balls with nine boundaries.
It was his 11th consecutive Test half century and he equalled the world record for consecutive fifties held by West Indies Viv Richards.
Sehwag hit Hilfenhaus for three boundaries, two of them consecutive in the 11th over. He was also severe on spinner Nathan Hauritz hitting two consecutive boundaries. He put on 81 runs in just 13.2 overs with Gautam Gambhir (25).
Johnson trapped Gambhir leg before with a delivery that moved and hit him on the middle and leg. Gambhir looked unhappy with the decision.
Earlier, Indian skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who had dropped two catches on the first day, continued his bad form behind the wickets in this match. He failed to snap Paine on 86. Luckily for him, it did not turn out to be as costly as Watson's catch which he had missed on the first day.
Paine on 92 was brilliant caught by VVS Laxman at second slip. Harbhajan Singh was also rewarded with three wickets for his 49 over effort.
