Glorious Gambhir leads Indian assault

New Delhi: Batting with Virender Sehwag can be weird. It can make an opener insecure; even make him self-destruct. Gautam Gambhir is perhaps the only one out of a slew of recent openers who can play both foil and aggressor with relative ease.

His second-innings hundred in Mohali established him as he matched Sehwag shot for shot. But in Delhi, he came out of the shadow of Sachin Tendulkar with an imposing century which itself was compiled in two different phases, as India closed the opening day of the third Test on 296-3 at Ferozeshah Kotla here.

Since coming back to the Indian Test squad, Gautam Gambhir had been frequently accused of throwing away starts. As a well-set Tendulkar gave way at the stroke of tea, Gambhir changed gears in so swift a motion that it went unnoticed until he reached triple figures by charging Shane Watson for an audacious six over long-on.

Gambhir's 149 not out has laid the perfect platform for India to build on. And it is in this sense his century is all the more creditable.

Delhi's cricket lovers woke up early after late night celebrations on Diwali but were left rubbing their eyes in disbelief as India were reduced to 27-2, jolted early by a fired up Australian bowling outfit after captain Anil Kumble elected to bat first.

By lunch, Gambhir and Tendulkar had accumulated 25 and 26 respectively, and although their intent was bordering on the trend set in previous games, lapses of concentration was evident in their frequent plays and misses. But a little less that 40 minutes later, the wild swipes were replaced by willow meeting leather with characteristic disdain.

After a routine felicitation before the start of play – Sehwag presented Tendulkar with a pair of shoes on behalf of the DDCA (almost every run Tendulkar makes warrants a record these days) – India didn't get off to their familiar start as has been the trend. But Tendulkar and Gambhir had set India up beautifully, stitching together 130 runs in good time before Mitchell Johnson, their best bowler on show in this series, had Tendulkar caught behind for 67.

Although they managed to avoid a catastrophe, India would have been happier had they not lost a wicket in the second session.

Even the textbook seeks an illustration when Sachin Tendulkar is at his best. Though he didn't seem to show it, the burden of expectations were piling up on the batting maestro as he neared the inevitable of surpassing Brian Lara.

But once the record was behind him, he was back doing what he does best. At Mohali he proved it, and in Delhi he reinforced the theory with a half-century supreme in its composition. In all he hit 11 fours, and each were a product of the Tendulkar school of masterclass.

Gambhir, meanwhile, was combative in his approach as much literally, so much so that match referee Chris Broad might summon him for a hearing after he charged into Shane Watson while taking a run. Thereafter, though, it was his flowing blade that did the talking.

The Delhi left-hander was more than happy to play second fiddle when Tendulkar was in the zone. But as his senior partner was sent back, Gambhir dazzled the crowds with an array of powerful drives with equally deft footwork. And just when you would have expected him to take it easy as he approached his third Test century, Gambhir blocked the first delivery from Watson and then launched into the bowler for maximum.

Amid Tendulkar's genius and Gambhir's brute assault, VVS Laxman was busy building up the momentum. His fifty came in no time, but along with building on their unbeaten 139-run fourth wicket stand, he had also to pacify the mercurial Gambhir, who was engaged in another altercation with Simon Katich towards the end of day's play.

It won't be unusual for Gambhir to be satisfied after his back-to-back hundreds. But with him India have finally ended their long history of doing away with openers in short time.