Finally Sachin Tendulkar has done it. Not only did he pass Brian Lara's record as the highest run-getter in Tests, but he went past the 12,000-run mark well. It's an enormous performance from a man who is a very humble person with a very different personality off the field to what he is on the field. He has been a dominant player and he is a player India can be very proud of. He has brought this domination of all bowlers - pace and spin - to Indian cricket and they can take great pride in the way he has played. The moment was celebrated with a fireworks display and although Tendulkar enjoyed the moment, it was almost as though he was saying: 'Come on. Let's get rid of the fireworks because I've got a much more important job to do here. I've got to get a big score for India.'
Now India got into that position through a bit of careless batting. India got off to a terrific start with Gautam Gambhir and Virender Sehwag playing extremely well on a good pitch. It was a very good wicket with not much for the bowlers. So India got off to a fast start and although Sehwag was out caught down the leg side, that seemed to start a trend. After that, Gambhir and Rahul Dravid pushed India into a position of great strength. But then, India started to squander their wickets.
First to go was Dravid who was looking to cut. He, like a lot of players, likes to cut off the front foot. That has become a bit of a modern thing and I really think that players would be much better trying to cut off the back foot. Dravid certainly could have used the extra time that would have given him. Gambhir played extremely well - he was very aggressive and his cover-driving was absolutely brilliant. He should really be very annoyed with himself because he squandered a wonderful opportunity to get a Test hundred against Australia and put India in an impregnable position. But he tossed that away with another catch to Brad Haddin, this time down the off side. VVS Laxman was caught down the leg side off Mitchell Johnson, who almost looked embarrassed to get that dismissal.
What all these wickets had done was to put Australia in a terrific position having lost the toss. With India at 163 for4, the Australians were on the top. But that position was soon pushed aside with Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly building a terrific partnership. Tendulkar, as I said, passing the world record, passing 12,000 runs and it looked as though he was going to celebrate these great landmarks with a century. It took an excellent catch from Mathew Hayden to dismiss Tendulkar and to give Peter Siddle his first Test wicket. Siddle, who came into the side replacing Stuart Clark, got a good reward for a lot of toil. That breakthrough gave Australia a little bit of hope that with the second new ball they might get another breakthrough, but nightwatchman Ishant Sharma survived.
A lot will depend on Ganguly and Mahendra Singh Dhoni, the man who is captaining India on this occasion after Anil Kumble declared himself unfit to play the match. India have their nose in front at 311 for 5. If Ganguly, Dhoni and the lower-order players can push India over the 400-mark, it will put India in a terrific position. The selectors have chosen wisely in giving Amit Mishra his debut. It was a better move to choose him over a third seamer and India might reap some rewards from that on the fourth innings. That is only if they can get a big total in the first innings.
