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Ind vs Aus: Ponting fifty leads Australian fightback on Day 1

NEW DELHI 24 JAN 2012: Former Australian captain Ricky Ponting hit his 61st half-century soon after lunch on the first day of the fourth and final Test against India at the Adelaide Oval on Tuesday.

Ponting and Clarke took the Australian first innings to 98/3 at lunch on a hot sunny day. Ravichandran Ashwin stuck again just before lunch as he scalped Aussie opener Ed Cowan to break the vital third wicket stand between the southpaw and Ponting. The pair added valuable 53 runs partnership to revive Aussie innings after early blows. Australia lost David Warner and Shaun Marsh in quick succession after skipper Michael Clarke won the toss and elected to bat. Indian pace spearhead Zaheer Khan trapped the dangerous Warner, who shuffled across a bit to work it but missed and was caught plumb in front of the wicket. Warner got the man of the match award for his match winnings 180 runs knock in the third Test but could not continue his form as he contributed only 8 runs. Ashwin justified his inclusion as he dismissed out of form Marsh to reduce the hosts to 31/2 in 9.6 overs. Australia have recalled off spinner Nathan Lyon in place of quick Mitchell Starc in an otherwise unchanged team. India's stand-in skipper Virender Sehwag said the tourists had decided not to play with two spinners, bringing only Ravi Ashwin in to replace the dropped R Vinay Kumar. Wicketkeeper Wriddhiman Saha won his second Test cap as replacement for regular captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who was banned for one test after India failed to keep to an acceptable over rate in the third Test. India have already conceded the Border-Gavaskar Trophy after a humiliating innings and 37 runs loss at WACA, Perth last week and the reputation of their top players is almost beyond repair. Teams: India: Virender Sehwag (Capt.), Gautam Gambhir, Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, VVS Laxman, Virat Kohli, Wriddhimaan Saha (WK), Ravichandran Ashwin, Zaheer Khan, Ishant Sharma, Umesh Yadav. Australia: Michael Clarke (Capt.), Ed Cowan, David Warner, Shaun Marsh, Ricky Ponting, Michael Hussey, Brad Haddin (WK), Peter Siddle, Ryan Harris, Ben Hilfenhaus and Nathan Lyon. Courtesy:TOI

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