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PHOTOS: India dominate Day 2
Murali Vijay and Cheteshwar Pujara both hit centuries as India dominated Day 2 of the second Test in Hyderabad on Sunday.
India were sitting pretty on 311 for one in 93 overs to take a lead of 74 runs at close on the second day after Australia had declared their first innings on 237 for nine.
Pujara was unbeaten on a magnificent innings of 162 and Vijay made a solid 129 as the two batsmen put on an unbroken stand of 294 runs in 85 overs to put their team in complete control.
Australia started the day well as they dried the runs in the morning session. The bowlers kept the Indian openers -- Vijay and Virender Sehwag -- under a tight leash, not allowing them to score freely.
Australia's Moises Henriques bowled accurate stump to stump line, James Pattinson did unsettle the Indian pair with some short-pitched stuff and Siddle kept them quiet.
India's run-rate was hovering at just over 2 per over
Both openers started cautiously, they looked a lot happy to defend. Sehwag and Vijay were watchful, but Australia couldn't make the most of India's uncertain batting.
The pace trio of Siddle, Pattinson and Henriques kept the runs under control and at one point India's run-rate was hovering just over 2 per over.
After 23 minutes of the 1st session, Sehwag was dismissed by Siddle.
Sehwag falls cheaply again
Siddle hit the three-quarter length of the pitch and got the ball to rear up awkwardly and also moved a shade, kissing the edge of Sehwag's bat as Matthew Wade took the catch.
While the bowler wasn't sure, Wade and the slip cordon were confident and umpire Kumar Dharmasena raised his finger after some deliberation. Sehwag managed only 6.
But No 3 batsman Cheteshwar Pujara joined Vijay and managed to safely see through the first session and India reached 54 for one at lunch.
Vijay, Pujara step on the accelerator post lunch
After lunch, the Indians batted a lot more positively.
Australia's Debutant Glenn Maxwell and his spin partner Xavier Doherty were taken to the cleaners.
The Indians battered the spinners, using their feet well and scored boundaries regularly. They spiced the innings wih the odd six too.
Unlike in the morning session, the Indian batsmen were on top of their game in the second and their run-rate touched 2.47 and scored 106 runs more by the tea break.
India reached 160-1 at tea with Vijay and Pujara on 73 runs apiece.
Pujara, Vijay continue attacking approach
Indian batsmen continued their domination in the post tea session as runs came at a good rate.
Pujara hit a boundary each off Henriques and Doherty in the first two overs of the post tea session to race into the 80s.
Vijay took time to get going after tea. He then stepped down to Glenn Maxwell and slammed over the midwicket fence for a huge six. He chipped down the track again off the next delivery and lofted it over mid-off for a boundary.
Laxman still revered in Hyderabad
Former India player VVS Laxman greets his home fans at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad.
Laxman, who is currently doing commentary for a television channel, got a huge ovation when he went into the ground during the tea break.
Pujara completes fourth Test century
Pujara was the first to get to his Test century with two runs to the thirdman region.
This was Pujara's fourth century in Test cricket as he put India in complete control on the second day with a solid batting display.
Vijay brings up second Test century
Very soon Vijay also got to his century and he brought it up in some style. He stepped down the wicket to Doherty and lofted the left-arm spinner over the cover region for a boundary.
This was Vijay's second century in Tests and interestingly the first one also came against the same opponent, in 2010 in Bangalore.
Australia were waiting for the second new ball to be available as part-timer David Warner was given the ball. Pujara made most of the opportunity and hit Warner for three boundaries in his first over before Vijay slammed Doherty for two fours in his next over.
India reached 262 for one in 80 overs before Australia straightaway took the second new ball.
India set for huge total
Pujara (162 batting) notched up his fourth Test hundred and Vijay (129 batting) scored his second ton as the record second-wicket partnership of 294 runs took India to a comfortable 311 for one at stumps.
The duo eclipsed the stand of 224 against Australia, set by Sunil Gavaskar and Mohinder Amarnath in 1986 at Sydney.
Having already secured a lead of 74 runs, India would target a huge one, which would take batting fourth on this track out of equation.
Vijay struck 17 boundaries and two sixes in 288 balls. Pujara hit 25 boundaries and also hooked Peter Siddle for a six to bring up his 150 having faced 251 balls in the process.
Australian spinners disappoint
Australia's plan to play with left-arm spinner Xavier Doherty (0/85 in 26 overs) and IPL's 'Million Dollar Boy' Maxwell (0/55 in 10 overs) backfired badly.
Both the batsmen used their feet appreciably as the spinners failed to extract any turn and bounce.
Maxwell, in particular, was easy meat for Vijay and Pujara as he not only bowled short but also didn't get to turn his off-breaks as much as Nathan Lyon did in the previous match.