Gambhir, Laxman double tons set the tone for India

New Delhi: VVS Laxman has made a career out of pummeling Australia. So after having two quiet Test matches by his standards, Laxman resumed usual duties in emphatic style with his second double hundred, as India sounded the declaration after posting 613-7 in their first innings.

Laxman rounded off India's innings in grand style, as his unbeaten 200 came on the back of Gautam Gambhir's splendid 206 which came earlier in the day that included a 278-run stand, the highest for any wicket at Ferozeshah Kotla. After a momentary lapse that cost India three wickets in the middle session, captain Anil Kumble and Zaheer Khan rubbed it in with brisk 45 and 28 respectively.

Never had India two double centuries figuring in the same innings earlier. And Gambhir and Laxman's effort ensured Australia would be playing to catch up for the rest of the Test match.

Anil Kumble and Amit Mishra did trouble the openers with prodigiously turning deliveries, but Australia, who closed the second day on 50 without loss, seem to have learnt their lesson from Mohali, and might just think of holding on until Nagpur for the final Test.

Laxman drove, flicked and pulled with contempt to reach his 13th Test hundred and sixth against Australia, and moments later completed 2000 runs against them, while Gautam Gambhir, whose knock on the first day bore all signs of an epic in the making, lived up to it.

Laxman's calm can be judged by the strokes his plays. He went unnoticed to his fifty as Gambhir soaked in all the adulation with his second century on the trot on the first day, but the first session of the second day belonged to the class of the Hyderabadi.

India had a quiet start to the second day but picked up as Laxman took charge of the proceedings, despite a fortuitous escape when Brett Lee had him fending a bouncer awkwardly which went over the slip cordon.

There was no fortune thereafter. By stumps on the opening day itself, their partnership had reached threatening proportions, but an early wicket could have given Australia a look-in. But by the time the duo was separated, their 278-run stand had had all but confirmed that only a miracle would keep India from losing their hold in the game, and tellingly perhaps, the series.

It became almost boring the way Gambhir and Laxman treated the Australian bowlers, and it was almost inevitable that a wicket would fall. A desperate Ricky Ponting threw himself on for a couple of overs, and only a loss in concentration, dare one say, brought the stand to an end. Shane Watson's first over of the day had Gautam Gambhir inside-edging onto the stumps as the batsman walked off amid raucous cheers for 206.

Gambhir's knock on day two was sedate compared to his assault on Wednesday. He looked happy to be playing second fiddle, and admired from the other end as Laxman came into his own. His 206 was epic in every sense of the term: it had him negotiating when the bowlers were on top, knocked the ball around when his partners found their rhythm, and tore into the bowling when he was on the top of his game.

Elegant strokeplay defines both Gambhir and Laxman in equal measure. What sets them apart is the way they construct their innings. They put the theory in practice with 400 runs between them.

Day I Report