Duo inspire Australia

Captain Clarke (140 not out) and his predecessor Ricky Ponting (137 not out) came together with the score at 84-3 shortly before lunch.

And the duo played beautifully as they shared a record-breaking 252-run stand for the fourth-wicket to guide Australia to 335-3 at the close.

It was the duo's second double-hundred stand of the series after their 288-run partnership during the second Test in Sydney when Clarke went on to score a memorable triple ton.

Ponting - who became the third man in history after Indian pair Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid to accumulate 13,000 Test runs - powered to his 41st Test century after coming in with his side in a spot of bother at 31-2 after 10 overs.

David Warner (eight) and Shaun Marsh (three) were sent packing early as stand-in captain Virender Sehwag surprisingly introducing off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin in the fourth over of the innings.

Murmurs

Ed Cowan made 30 before falling to an excellent catch from VVS Laxman at cover which created some murmurs in the home camp as Ashwin picked up two wickets before lunch, but Ponting and Clarke destroyed the wilting Indians.

Ponting received a standing ovation and raised his arms triumphantly after he pushed Zaheer Khan between point and gully for two to bring up his second hundred of the series.

With the ton - which arrived off 164 balls and included 11 boundaries - Ponting drew level with South African compatriot Jacques Kallis in second place for all-time most Test centuries, with only India's Sachin Tendulkar (51) ahead of him.

Amazingly, it was Ponting's fourth ton in as many Tests against India at the ground - all coming in the first innings - and sixth overall at this ground.

Clarke has enjoyed a similar success rate, his magnificent ton his second in as many stints at the Adelaide crease against India.

Four overs after Ponting saluted, Clarke caressed Umesh Yadav to the third man boundary to register his 19th Test ton.

The 30-year-old's wonderful, momentum-shifting century came off just 133 balls and including 14 fours and a big six.

Ponting and the imperious Clarke were rarely troubled in perfect batting conditions under hot, sunny skies against a listless Indian outfit.

Pedestrian

The pitch, which was a belter and further flattened throughout the day, did not assist the tourists' cause, but they didn't help themselves either with a general lack of energy and intensity, inattentive fielding, defensive field placings and some pedestrian bowling.

Ishant Sharma (0-50) bowled better than his figures suggested and almost achieved the belated breakthrough in the 86th over when, with the second new ball, he found Clarke's outside edge - only for Laxman to grass a very tough chance.

The next over Clarke tentatively edged Zaheer just short of a diving Wriddhiman Saha as his concentration wavered, albeit fleetingly.

The only other time the visitors really perked up was the final over before tea.

Sehwag introduced Virat Kohli for a one-off over to bowl some gentle medium pacers in a hope to break the damaging partnership.

Clarke was untroubled seeing off the part-timer before drama unfolded on the penultimate ball of the middle session.

Clarke turned Kohli to the on-side for a sharp single when Zaheer had a shy at the non-striker's end from square leg. The ball ricocheted off the sliding bat of the Aussie skipper, who infuriated the Indians by running two more as a result of the deflection.

India appealed for Clarke to be given out obstructing the field, arguing he had deliberately deviated in an attempt to divert Zaheer's throw but after umpires Kumar Dharmasena and Aleem Dar conferred with third umpire Paul Reiffel, Clarke was rightly allowed to bat on.