Record-breaking pair Michael Clarke and Ricky Ponting shared an unbroken partnership of 385 runs as Australia marched towards a massive first-innings total in the fourth Test against India.

Australia advanced from their overnight score of 3-335 to 3-469 at lunch on Wednesday’s second day of play in hot conditions on a lifeless Adelaide Oval pitch.

Clarke is 210 not out while Ponting is on 198.

Skipper Clarke reached his double-century with a push to mid-wicket for two and threw his arms to the heavens, kissing his helmet and hugging Ponting.

Clarke marked his milestone with a stunning leap down the pitch and cover drive to the boundary next ball from spinner Ravi Ashwin (2-127).

Clarke has struck 26 fours and one six from 274 deliveries.

Ponting appeared happy to wait until after lunch for his 200 and has hit 20 fours in a stylish seven-and-a-half-hour display.

Clarke and Ponting have passed the previous partnership record set earlier this month by Clarke and Mike Hussey of 334 for any wicket for Australia against India.

Ponting and Clarke also overtook the partnership record for any wicket at Adelaide Oval of 341 by South Africa’s Eddie Barlow and Graeme Pollock in 1963-64.

The pair is three runs shy of the Australian fourth-wicket record of 388 set by Don Bradman and Bill Ponsford against England in 1934 at Headingley.

Clarke, who scored a career-best 329 not out in the Sydney Test earlier this month, has hit 589 runs so far in the four-Test series at an average of 196.33.

Ponting, the 37-year-old whose career was under threat at the start of the summer, has notched 461 runs at 115.25.

Paceman Ishant Sharma missed a return catch off Ponting who was on 186.

Clarke had been dropped at second slip by a diving VVS Laxman off Sharma’s bowling on 133 shortly before stumps on Tuesday.

Australia had been struggling at 3-84 shortly before lunch on Tuesday after David Warner (eight) and Shaun Marsh (three) fell cheaply and Ed Cowan made 30.