Tendulkar return fails to fire India

Sachin Tendulkar's first match for three months was not enough to prevent Australia taking control of the third Test in Nagpur.

14:31 27 October 2004

Sachin Tendulkar's first match for three months was not enough to prevent Australia taking control of the third Test in Nagpur.

The batsman known as the "Little Wizard" returned to the Indian line-up after an elbow injury, but was removed for just eight runs as his side finished 252 runs behind the Aussies.

India reached the close of the second day's play on 146-5, having earlier finished off the tourists' innings for 398 runs.

That leaves Australia in touching distance of their first series win on Indian soil for 35 years, having a 1-0 lead with just one more Test to play after this one.

Fast bowler Glenn McGrath did much of the damage in his 100th Test with figures of 2-18 from 20 overs, while Jason Gillespie also picked up a brace of wickets.

But it could have been even worse for the hosts after they were reduced to just 75-4 after Virender Sehwag (22), Aakash Chopra (9), Tendulkar and VVS Laxman (13) all gave away their wickets cheaply.

Rahul Dravid (21 from 140 balls) and Mohammad Kaif (47 not out) dug in to stem the tide somewhat, but McGrath's removal of Dravid late on gave Australia the upper hand once more.

Wicket-keeper Parthiv Patel (16 not out) came in to offer solid support to Kaif, but the pair have a weight of responsibility on their shoulders when they return to the crease tomorrow needing 53 runs to avoid the follow-on.

Earlier, Australian all-rounder Michael Clarke (91) narrowly missed out on making a century as he fell to the pick of the Indian bowlers, Zaheer Khan (4-95).