Twelve Tests spread over as many years and four tours had yielded the Australian captain just a solitary half-century. On day one of the first Test at the Chinnaswamy stadium, the 33-year-old traversed some distance towards redressing the balance with a brilliantly constructed maiden Test ton in India.

The diffident, hesitant Ponting Indian crowds have gotten used to while donning the flannels was conspicuous by his absence. Nor was the domineering, strokeful, attacking right-hander on display. Sacrificing natural flair in deference to the conditions as well as the quality of the bowling, Ponting ground out an 'old-age' 123 (329m, 243b, 13x4), his 36th hundred in his 200th innings the cornerstone around which Australia, opting to bat first, erected 254 for four.

Had it not been for Michael Clarke's dismissal off the last delivery of the day, Australia could have laid claim to day-one honours, despite losing Matthew Hayden to a dubious caught behind decision by Asad Rauf in the series' first over. Instead, Zaheer Khan's late strike with the second new ball will have given India some heart, and a potential look at a lower middle-order fairly short on Test experience.

Touring party
Most of Australia's experience rests with the top five, four of whom alone from the touring party have previous experience of Test cricket in India. Ponting couldn't have chosen a better day to lead from the front, calming early nerves arising from Hayden's unfortunate departure in the company of a phlegmatic Simon Katich, who justified his inclusion ahead of Phil Jaques.

In many ways, it might have helped Ponting that he walked out straight into the first new ball. A nervy starter at the best of times, Ponting is ill at ease while having to negotiate spin first-up. In the event, by the time Harbhajan Singh came on in the 13th over, and Anil Kumble introduced himself five overs later, Ponting had had enough time to play himself in, suss up the pace — or lack of it — in the track, get his feet moving and shake off any possible cobwebs emanating from five months away from international cricket.

Put through a searching examination by Zaheer and Ishant Sharma, both of whom ran in hard all day long and bowled beautifully on a surface that gave them no joy whatsoever apart from inside the first hour, Ponting opted to bide his time. There was one flowing off-drive early on, and a savage pull when Ishant pitched far too short. Otherwise, Ponting was happy to work the singles, perhaps taking the cue from Katich, whose game is in any case based around blunting the bowling and making the bowlers bowl to his strengths.

Eternal nemisis
The first indication that Ponting was primed towards ending his India drought came when he put away the first delivery he faced from eternal nemesis Harbhajan to the fine-leg fence. Five times in Test cricket, Harbhajan has dismissed Ponting with his first delivery to the right-hander; there was no encore as Ponting negotiated India's twin spin threats with softness of hands and sureness of feet, aided by the slowish surface that allowed him the luxury of time.

Both spinners were guilty of drifiting down leg early on, though Kumble bowled phenomenally in a third spell of 12-2-37-0. Unfortunate to be denied Ponting's wicket when a simple caught and bowled, with the batsman on 110 of 201 for two, was turned down by umpires Rauf and Koertzen who deemed the ball had bounced after hitting the bat, and seeing Mahendra Singh Dhoni put down Mike Hussey (1), Kumble wheeled away without reward, while Harbhajan came into his own and picked up Ponting for a ninth time in Test cricket, though the ball appeared headed down leg as he defeated the batsman's sweep.

By then, Katich had edged Ishant to Dhoni after a characteristically gritty 66, adding 166 (227m, 329b) with his captain for the second wicket. Hussey must now control the rest of the innings if Australia are to build substantially on that partnership.

SCORE BOARD

AUSTRALIA (I Innings):
Hayden c Dhoni b Zaheer 0
(1m, 3b)
Katich c Dhoni b Ishant 66
(229m, 149b, 7x4)
Ponting lbw Harbhajan 123
(329m, 243b, 13x4)
Hussey (batting) 46
(141m, 115b, 5x4)
Clarke lbw Zaheer 11
(39m, 28b, 2x4)
Extras (LB-5, W-1, NB-2) 8

Total (for 4 wkts, 89.2 overs) 254
Fall of wickets: 1-0 (Hayden), 2-166 (Katich), 3-226 (Ponting), 4-254 (Clarke).

Bowling: Zaheer 17.2-4-39-2 (w-1, nb-1), Ishant 16-3-49-1, Harbhajan 25-6-71-1, Kumble 27-4-84-0, Sehwag 4-0-6-0 (nb-1).