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India in trouble after electing to bat

Last updated on: January 3, 2012 14:22 IST
Australia captain Michael Clarke tosses the coin as Mahendra Singh Dhoni looks on

India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni won the toss and elected to bat in the second Test against Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Tuesday.

Both the sides went in with an unchanged team which played in the first Test in Melbourne last week.

James Pattinson took four wickets as Australia bundled India out for 191 on the opening day of the second Test, before coming through a top order crisis of their own to finish a frenetic day on 116 for three.

Australia lead the four-match Test series 1-0 after their 122-run win in the first Test.

Gambhir falls in first over

Last updated on: January 3, 2012 14:22 IST
Gautam Gambhir is caught at first slip by Michael Clarke off James Pattinson

Paceman James Pattinson, playing just his fourth Test, took just three balls to make the breakthrough when Gautam Gambhir jabbed at the ball and was caught by Michael Clarke in the slips for a duck.

The Indian left-hander made three and 13 in Melbourne and will need a big second innings to remove the question mark over his place in the side.

Siddle gets the wicket of Dravid

Last updated on: January 3, 2012 14:22 IST
Peter Siddle celebrates after claiming the wicket of Rahul Dravid

Peter Siddle struck next to remove Rahul Dravid for five, the former India skipper getting an inside edge onto his pads with Ed Cowan scooping up the catch.

Pattinson claims both openers

Last updated on: January 3, 2012 14:22 IST
James Pattinson is jubilant after dismissing Virender Sehwag

Virender Sehwag stuck to his attacking approach despite Pattinson, Siddle and Ben Hilfenhaus getting some movement out of a pitch with a slight green tinge to it.

Sehwag was dropped by Ricky Ponting in the slips on 23 but had added only seven more runs when he got an edge to a late outswinger from Pattinson and Brad Haddin took a routine catch behind the stumps.

Laxman, Kohli fail again

Last updated on: January 3, 2012 14:22 IST
Peter Siddle (right) celebrates with Brad Haddin after claiming the wicket of Virat Kohli

VVS Laxman and Virat Kohli also failed to deliver as India kept losing wickets at regular intervals.

Laxman, so often Australia's nemesis, had an average of just under a hundred at the SCG but lasted nine balls and made two runs before another beautiful delivery from Pattinson tempted him into a late shot which resulted in a thick edge and a catch for Shaun Marsh at third slip.

Kohli's shortcoming against the moving ball was exposed once again when he was caught behind by wicketkeeper Haddin off Siddle for 23.

Tendulkar dismissed for 41

Last updated on: January 3, 2012 14:22 IST
Sachin Tendulkar is bowled by James Pattinson

The wait for Sachin Tendulkar's 100th international century continued.

The veteran batsman scored a fluent 41, hitting eight fours, before he inside edged a full delivery from Pattinson back on to his stumps.

Pattinson triggers Indian collapse

Last updated on: January 3, 2012 14:22 IST
James Pattinson celebrates after dismissing Sachin Tendulkar

There was no stopping Pattinson, who once again tormented the Indian batting line-up with his extra pace, claiming four for 43 in 14 overs

Hilfenhaus took two wickets off the final two deliveries of the session to leave India reeling at 178 for eight at the tea break.

Hilfenhaus double blow cripples India

Last updated on: January 3, 2012 14:22 IST
Zaheer Khan tries to fend off a bouncer from Ben Hilfenhaus

Dhoni and Ravichandran Ashwin put on 54 for the seventh wicket before Hilfenhaus finally got reward for his efforts with the wickets of Ashwin (20) and Zaheer Khan (0) from successive balls.

First, Ashwin aimed to flick Hilfenhaus through the leg-side but ended up being caught behind and then Zaheer was all in tangles to a snorter of a delivery which he fended to Cowan at forward short leg.

Zaheer claims early wickets

Last updated on: January 3, 2012 14:22 IST
Zaheer Khan celebrates as David Warner walks back after being dismissed

Zaheer soon had the Australian batsmen in all sorts of trouble, however, removing David Warner for eight when Tendulkar took the catch after a Laxman juggle in the slips.

Laxman made no mistake on Zaheer's next ball in his following over, Shaun Marsh taking the long walk back to the dressing room with a cartoon golden duck for company and the paceman steaming in for his own hat-trick chance.

Zaheer strikes give India some hope

Last updated on: January 3, 2012 14:22 IST
Zaheer Khan traps Ed Cowan leg before wicket

Zaheer did not have to wait too long for his third wicket when Ed Cowan was beaten for pace and trapped leg before for 16.

Australia also found themselves in early trouble, after being reduced to 37 for three in the ninth over.

Ponting continues good form

Last updated on: January 3, 2012 14:22 IST
Ricky Ponting

Ricky Ponting and captain Michael Clarke then showed great skills on sparring against short-pitched deliveries and playing attacking strokes in between. Their running between the wickets was exceptional too.

Ponting continued his good batting form, as he reached 44 from 62 balls at stumps on the opening day.

Clarke steadies Australia

Last updated on: January 3, 2012 14:22 IST
Michael Clarke

Clarke came out with a positive approach and was unbeaten on a fluent 47 from 59 balls. He and Ponting put on an unbeaten 79 for the fourth wicket to take Australia to 116 for three in 26 overs at stumps, just 75 runs behind India's score.