Sydney: Australia's batsmen piled on the runs after lunch Wednesday, grinding down India's bowlers on the second day of the fourth test at the Sydney Cricket Ground.
Shaun Marsh and Joe Burns both made half-centuries, meaning each of Australia's top six had passed 50, helping the hosts to 538-5 at tea.
Mohammad Shami (3-101) removed Marsh for 73, acrobatically caught by wicketkeeper Wriddhiman Saha, just before the interval.
Burns offered good support moving to 52 not out at the break — his first test half century — with Brad Haddin on seven.
Marsh was given a life on nine when dropped by Murali Vijay at second slip off Ravi Ashwin —the third dropped chance of the innings — and took the opportunity to attack, making 73 off 116 balls, to go with his 99 from the third test at Melbourne last week.
Earlier, Steve Smith scored his fourth century in as many tests as he shared a 196-run partnership with Shane Watson (81).
Smith scored 117 and matched the feat of Don Bradman (vs. South Africa in 1931-32) and Jacques Kallis (vs. West Indies in 2003-04) in scoring four consecutive test hundreds in a series.
Umesh Yadav (1-137) eventually dismissed Smith caught behind for 117, when Australia had reached 400.
Smith, promoted to captain due to Michael Clarke's latest instance of back and hamstring trouble, leads the scoring this series with 698 runs, including two half-centuries and four hundreds, at an average of 139.6.
Only Bradman (715 runs in 1947-48) and Ricky Ponting (706 runs in 2003-04) have scored more runs in a series between Australia and India.
Watson (81) again failed to convert a promising start into a century when he heaved a short-pitched Mohammad Shami (2-80) delivery straight to Ravi Ashwin at deep mid-wicket, who made no mistake taking the catch after dropping Watson on the penultimate ball of day one.
Watson has 24 half centuries to go with only five test hundreds in his 55-tests.
On the first day, David Warner smashed 101 and Chris Rogers made 95 as the openers combined for a 200-run opening stand after captain Smith won the toss and chose to bat first.
Australia has an unassailable 2-0 series lead, and regained the Border-Gavaskar trophy, with two wins and a draw in the first three tests.
