INDIA was 2-114 at the close of day three of the second Test at the SCG, and trailing Australia by 354 runs.Gautam Gambhir was not out 68 with Sachin Tendulkar on eight.
Ben Hilfenhaus was the successful Australian bowler, claiming dangerous opener Virender Sehwag early, brilliantly caught by David Warner at point, and then bowling Rahul Dravid for 29.
Hilfenhaus almost sent a circumspect Sachin Tendulkar back to the dressing rooms, beating the Little Master between bat and pad with a beauty which somehow also evaded the stumps.
Wicketkeeper Brad Haddin also spilled a relatively straightforward chance offerered by Gambhir off the bowling of James Pattinson.
Earlier, Michael Clarke has selflessly declared with his innings five runs short of Don Bradman and Mark Taylor's highest score and 51 runs shy of Matthew Hayden's Australian record.The Australian captain's historic 329 not out is the highest score in an Australia-India Test and the highest at the SCG.
That he did it in the 100th Test to be played at this ground makes it all the more fitting.
Clarke declared the innings closed at 4-659 after Michael Hussey brought up an undefeated 150.
That left India needing to score 468 to make Australia bat again or defend for two and half days.
The visitors were forced to field for 11 hours over three days and rarely looked like taking a wicket after the first day.
Their batsmen will be heavy of legs, while Australia's bowlers have had plenty of time to refresh since removing India for 191 in the first innings.
The Australians were 3-37 on the first day but made another 622 runs for the loss of one wicket (Ponting 134).
The former captain came to the wicket facing a hat-trick ball before going on to score his first 100 in two years and the 40th of his career.
Ponting, Clarke and Hussey all reached triple figures in the innings. It is the first time Australia has passed 500 since the Test against New Zealand in Hamilton in March 2010.
Not to be outdone, four Indian bowlers also brought up their centuries: Zaheer Khan (3-122), Umesh Yadav (0-123), Ishant Sharma (1-144) and R Ashwin 0-157.
Clarke's innings was a study in concentration and an announcement to the world that he is the rightful successor to Ponting as skipper and batting ace.
He offered only one chance - a caught and bowled opportunity for Sharma - when on 182 but never looked threatened through the innings.
At his worst Clarke struggles to get the ball off the square but at times through this innings he hit the ball with frightful power and precision.
A straight on-drive from Sharma's bowling to move to 199 was one such stroke.
In other circumstances Hussey would have been celebrated as a hero for his innings, but in this case his efforts were little more than a support act to Clarke's historic knock.
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