INDIA’S top order batting woes continued as they lost all wickets for 161 on the opening day of the third Test against Australia in Perth today, with Sachin Tendulkar again out cheaply.
Tendulkar’s quest for an elusive 100th international hundred was back on hold after he was dismissed for just 15 as the beleaguered tourists, trailing 2-0 in the four-Test series, again fell apart.
At tea, India were 144 for six with captain MS Dhoni unbeaten on four and debutant Vinay Kumar on five.
The Indians went to lunch at 73 for four after being sent in and lost the key wicket of Test cricket’s greatest runscorer Tendulkar in the opening session.
But Virat Kohli and VVS Laxman fought a determined rearguard action in the middle session, putting on 68 runs for the fifth wicket.
The pair rode their luck on a lively WACA wicket until Kohli miscued an attempted drive and was caught at point by Dave Warner for 44, giving Peter Siddle (3-42) his second wicket.
Laxman followed Kohli seven runs later when he was caught at first slip by Michael Clarke off Siddle for 31.
Tendulkar again looked in good early touch in the morning session, producing two elegant straight drives to the boundary in his first over.
However, he was deceived by a delivery from recalled paceman Ryan Harris that nipped back and was trapped leg before wicket.
Tendulkar has been stranded on 99 Test and one-day international centuries since scoring 111 against South Africa in the World Cup in March.
Opener Virender Sehwag’s wretched series continued when he was caught in the slips by Ricky Ponting off Ben Hilfenhaus for a four-ball duck, while 39-year-old Rahul Dravid was bowled off his pads by Siddle for nine.
It was the fourth time in five innings in the series that “The Wall” Dravid has been bowled.
Both teams went into the WACA Test with four-man pace attacks on a green-tinged wicket.
The Australians recalled left-armer Mitchell Starc at the expense of spinner Nathan Lyon, while Harris replaced the injured James Pattinson.
India left out spinner Ravi Ashwin for medium-pacer Kumar.
