Ponting plays a calm hand

Australia dominated the first session, slipped up to the Indian spinners after lunch and then worked their way back through Ricky Ponting's 77.

India has always been a problem venue for Ponting but he was succeeding in his most uncomfortable environment in what is almost certainly his last five-day match there. He has struggled with the bat, averaging 25 in 14 Tests in the country, and has never captained the side to a victory while wearing a baggy green. With the contest at a delicate stage he produced a committed performance - mostly fluent, but still short of his peak standard - to lift his men after they had wobbled to 132 for 3.

In partnership first with Michael Hussey (34) and then North, Ponting showed positive intent as he tried to set up Australia with a platform to level the series and avoid dropping to a ranking of No. 5 ahead of the Ashes.

Ponting arrived to survive the early exchanges with Harbhajan, his great tormentor, and was quickly forced into an important rebuild. After putting on 58 with North it was Ponting's turn for regret. Once Ponting's lapse would have been unusual, but as he ages he regularly makes mortal errors. Last week it was a careless run-out and today it was becoming a casual bowler's maiden Test wicket. He tried to play across the line and was hit on the pads with the ball heading towards leg stump.