ADELAIDE, Jan 24: India superstar Sachin Tendulkar posted a fairytale century to lift his side towards a challenging total on the first day of the fourth and final Test against Australia here on Thursday.

In what seems certain to be his last Test in Australia, and at the home ground of his idol Donald Bradman, Tendulkar shook off a personal hoodoo at the Adelaide Oval with his 39th Test hundred to boost India’s hopes of squaring the series.

After captain Anil Kumble won the toss and elected to bat, the tourists were 309 for five at stumps, with the 34-year-old Tendulkar on 124 and Mahendra Singh Dhoni six.

India are 2-1 down in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series but have momentum after winning in Perth, following defeats at Melbourne and at the explosive second Test in Sydney.

Tendulkar was rarely troubled by the Australian bowlers. The master blaster went into the match with just 122 runs at 20.33 in his three previous visits to Adelaide Oval, but his intent was clear the moment he replaced Rahul Dravid (18).

Tendulkar did not dally in the nineties, hitting spinner Michael Clarke straight for six, then caressing him through the covers from the next ball to reach a majestic hundred. He had been at the crease for 198 minutes, faced 133 balls and hit nine fours and three sixes.

Tendulkar has 451 runs in the series at 90.20 and is now five international centuries clear of retired duo Sunil Gavaskar and Brian Lara, with Australian captain Ricky Ponting one further back on 33 on the all-time list.

A cautious Dhoni faced 54 balls and was given a life on three, when Matthew Hayden grassed an easy chance at first slip off Mitchell Johnson.

Tendulkar and V.V.S. Laxman steadied the Indian innings after coming together at a shaky 156 for four on what appeared a perfect batting wicket, adding 126 runs.

Laxman enjoyed some extraordinary fortune on 37, with wicket-keeper Adam Gilchrist inexplicably dropping a sitter from the bowling of Brett Lee.

However, Lee (2-62) and Gilchrist got their man on 51, when Laxman botched an attempt to evade a short ball and the ball ballooned off his glove to the wicket-keeper.

It was Gilchrist’s 412th dismissal in Test cricket, leaving him just one behind the record of South Africa’s Mark Boucher.

Virender Sehwag continued to enjoy his recall to the side, making a breezy 63 at the top of the order before being caught behind off the bowling of Lee.

Pathan, who batted at number eight in the third Test in Perth, put on 34 for the first wicket with Sehwag, before pushing at a Johnson delivery and edging to Gilchrist.

Australia made two changes, with speedster Shaun Tait dropped for Hogg and opener Hayden, having recovered from a hamstring strain, recalled at the expense of Chris Rogers.

Scoreboard

INDIA (1st Innings)

V. Sehwag c Hayden b Lee 63

I. Pathan c Gilchrist b Johnson 9

R. Dravid c Ponting b Johnson 18

S. Tendulkar not out 124

S. Ganguly lbw b Hogg 7

V. Laxman c Gilchrist b Lee 51

M. Dhoni not out 6

EXTRAS (B-8, LB-15, W-1, NB-7) 31

TOTAL (for five wkts, 86 overs) 309

TO BAT: A. Kumble, H. Singh, R.P. Singh, I. Sharma.

FALL OF WKTS: 1-34, 2-82, 3-122, 4-156, 5-282.

BOWLING: Lee 22-3-62-2 (5nb), Johnson 25-4-72-2 (1w, 2nb), Clark 16-4-48-0, Hogg 18-2-78-1, Clarke 5-0-26-0.

AUSTRALIA: P. Jaques, M. Hayden, R. Ponting, M. Hussey, M. Clarke, A. Symonds, A. Gilchrist, B. Hogg, B. Lee, M. Johnson, S. Clark.—Agencies