KEY POINTS:
Many in Australia felt the loss of big opener Matthew Hayden was the difference between winning and losing to India in Perth - and so it proved as Hayden's 30th test century led an Australian fightback at 322 for three on the third day of the fourth test
at Adelaide yesterday.
Hayden's assured century was as business-as-usual as the retirement of big-hitting wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist was a shock at the end of the day's play.
Meanwhile, the chances of the match ending in a draw - meaning the Australians would win the series 2-1 - also firmed after left-arm pace bowler R.P. Singh did not return to the field with a hamstring injury that seems to have invalided him out of the test match, leaving India with only four bowlers.
Without the bulwark of Hayden at the top of the order, Australia's batting was brittle in the third test in Perth and battled to repel Indian bowlers who probed Australia's out-of-touch batsmen and one debutant, Chris Rogers.
Ricky Ponting and Phil Jaques also laboured while Gilchrist and Michael Clarke managed a half-century in one innings and struggled in the other.
None of those batsmen have been in form during the first three tests and Hayden is regarded as essential to shoring up the top of the order - as well as Australia's confidence.
He didn't disappoint yesterday. He carved out a flowing 103 and Jaques helped himself to 60 as Australia made a strong reply to India's 526.
Australian captain Ponting was 79 not out off a leisurely 150 balls with Clarke offering solid support at 37 not out - after Hayden and Jaques had put on 159 for the opening wicket.
India still lead by 204 but their advantage was shrinking quickly as the Australians cashed in on a lifeless and flat pitch favouring the batsmen.
India's chances of knocking over the Australian lineup quickly were hampered by the absence of their main strike bowler Singh. Indian skipper Anil Kumble and teenage fast bowler Ishant Sharma captured a wicket each yesterday but it was hard going for all the bowlers on a baking hot afternoon coinciding with Australia Day and India's Republic Day.
Hayden celebrated his return to the Australian team with a sound display - maybe marginally less aggressive than in some of his most memorable knocks - to join Sachin Tendulkar, Brian Lara, Sunil Gavaskar, Ponting and Steve Waugh as the only players to score 30 or more test hundreds.
The broad-shouldered Queenslander also hammered centuries in the first two tests in Melbourne and Sydney, both won by Australia, and wasted no time making his presence felt, smashing 10 boundaries and a six before bringing up his 100 off 181 balls in a little over four hours with a single off Harbhajan Singh. Altogether he hit 10 fours and six in an innings which lasted 201 balls.
However, he departed shortly after when he misjudged an inswinger from Sharma and was bowled through the gate.
Jaques, playing in just his eighth test after replacing Hayden's longtime partner Justin Langer at the top of the order, had been content to play a more cautious role.
Also a lefthander, Jaques hit just three fours in his total of 60, before he was the first man out, bowled by Kumble with a ball that pitched in the rough and spun back on to his middle stump.
