India have engineered themselves a potential match-winning position at tea thanks to half-centuries from Murali Vijay and Virat Kohli on the final day of the first Test against Australia.
The tourists started the afternoon session on 105-2, and Vijay quickly brought up his 50 when he notched a single off Mitchell Johnson to bring up the milestone off 131 balls.
Kohli became the aggressor in the innings as he took the attack to the Australia bowlers, while the Baggy Greens were forced to operate without skipper Michael Clarke as he left the field with a hamstring injury.
The India skipper notched his half-century when he dispatched Mitchell Marsh to the boundary to bring up his second 50 of the match off 69 deliveries, while he and Vijay soon brought up their 100 partnership.
The duo maintained their positive approach to steer their side past the 200-run mark with Nathan Lyon and Steve Smith coming in for particular ill-treatment off the pair as India finished the session on 205-2, just 159 runs shy of their victory target.
Simon Sinclair
