Australian opener Matthew Hayden [Images] joined an elite club of just six players to score 30 or more Test centuries with a blistering hundred against India on Saturday.

The 36-year-old blasted a superb 103 while Phil Jaques and Ricky Ponting [Images] both helped themselves to half-centuries to lead a determined Australian fightback in the fourth and final Test at Adelaide Oval.

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When play ended on the third day, Australia were cruising along at 322 for three in their first innings, with Ponting unbeaten on 79 and Michael Clarke [Images] not out 37.

India still led by 204 runs after amassing 526 over the first two days but their advantage was rapidly shrinking on a lifeless pitch heavily favouring the batsmen and offering little encouragement to the bowlers.

India need to win the match to level the series, but with just 13 wickets falling over the first three days, the odds are already stacked in favour of a draw.

Australia, who lead the series 2-1, were clearly in no hurry to chase quick runs on Saturday, adding just 260 for the loss of three wickets after resuming on 62-0.

The only batsmen not to make a significant score was Mike Hussey, although he still managed 22.

India's chances of knocking the Australians over quickly were hampered by the absence of their main strike bowler Rudra Pratap Singh, who injured a hamstring on Friday afternoon and did not even make it on to the field on Saturday.

Indian skipper Anil Kumble [Images] and the seam pairing of Ishant Sharma and Irfan Pathan [Images] captured a wicket each but it was hard going for all the bowlers on a baking hot afternoon coinciding with Australia Day and India's Republic Day.

AGGRESSIVE DISPLAY

Hayden celebrated his return to the Australian team with a typically aggressive display to join Sachin Tendulkar [Images], Brian Lara [Images], Sunil Gavaskar [Images], Ponting and Steve Waugh as the only players to score 30 or more Test hundreds.

The left-handed Queenslander also hammered centuries in the first two Tests in Melbourne and Sydney, both won by Australia, but missed last week's third Test defeat in Perth because of a hamstring injury.

Hayden marked his return with a brutal demonstration of hitting, smashing 10 boundaries and a six before Sharma bowled him with an inswinger.

Jaques, playing in just his eighth Test after replacing Hayden's longtime partner Justin Langer at the top of the order, was bowled by Kumble for 60.

Content to play a more cautious role, Jaques hit just three fours in his half-century, before he was the first man out, bowled by Kumble with a ball that pitched in the rough and spun back on to his middle stump.

Hussey was also removed by a cleverly disguised inswinger from Pathan that crept between bat and pad and clipped the top of his off stump.

Ponting was uncharacteristically slow but clearly determined to make a big score after failing to post a century at home this summer.

He batted for more than four hours and faced 150 balls for his 79 while Clarke adopted the same approach, occupying the crease for almost two hours off 98 balls.

(Editing by Alastair Himmer)