India start well against Aussies - India v Australia 2nd Test

Sachin Tendulkar broke Brian Lara's Test runs world record and put India in control on day one of the second Test against Australia in Mohali.

In his 151st Test, Tendulkar overtook Lara's 11,953 mark and went on to become the first man to pass 12,000.

The 35-year-old Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly put India on top after Mitchell Johnson had reduced India to 163-4.

Tendulkar was finally dismissed for 88 by debutant Peter Siddle but Ganguly (54 not out) saw the hosts to 311-5.

India were led by Mahendra Dhoni after regular captain Anil Kumble pulled out on the morning of the match because of a shoulder injury, handing leg-spinner Amit Mishra his first appearance in a Test.

With or without Kumble, India would have been delighted to win the toss, forcing Australia's bowlers back onto the park just four days after they had strived in vain to win the first Test in Bangalore.

Early indications were that these were Nirvana-like batting conditions for a team with India's skill against a bowling attack which, beyond Lee and to an extent Johnson, lacked proven world-class performers.

The debut of Siddle, a 23-year-old Victorian, had been announced on Thursday after Stuart Clark - rated the second best bowler in Tests - had failed to recover from an elbow injury.

The morning session, in which the hosts racked up 104-1, began with a series of elegant off-drives from Gautam Gambhir and ended with the left-hander planting Michael Clarke over mid-on for two lofted boundaries.

Gambhir's opening partner Virender Sehwag - who had looked in sumptuous form himself - fell for 35 when nicking an innocuous leg-side delivery from Johnson down the leg-side to wicketkeeper Brad Haddin.

An identical mode of dismissal brought about VVS Laxman's downfall for just 12, capping a remarkable period in the middle of the day when India slid alarmingly from a powerful 146-1 to 163-4.

Gambhir (67) edged a wide one to Haddin to give Johnson his third wicket, and Rahul Dravid - having batted positively to get to 39 - chopped Lee onto his stumps.

Tendulkar, beginning his innings just 14 runs away from Lara's mark, edged to within a single by tea as he and Ganguly built the second wave of India's runs offensive with a stand of 142.

Ganguly was the dominant partner initially, but the shackles were lifted for Tendulkar once he had guided the first ball after the interval - bowled by Siddle - down to third man for the three precious runs India's fans had patiently waited for.

The sparse crowd offered as much applause as they could muster amid a rumble of fireworks and after that both men began playing more freely.

Tendulkar moved into the 40s with a gorgeous on-drive for four off Siddle and soon moved to his 50th Test fifty.

Ganguly had a major stroke of luck on 36 when Cameron White's appeal for a stumping was not even referred to the third umpire by Rudi Koertzen, the official standing at square leg.

He was on 36 at the time, and the let-off allowed him to become the fourth Indian to reach 7,000 Test runs.

Siddle ended an eventful day with a wicket to cherish - that of Tendulkar himself. Playing too loosely after the second new ball had been taken, he edged a drive to Matthew Hayden at slip.