Australia captain Michael Clarke allowed himself a brief moment to savour his place in cricket history after joining Don Bradman and Wally Hammond in an elite club.

Australia declared their first innings closed at 7-604 after tea on Wednesday on a lifeless Adelaide Oval pitch. India will resume on Thursday’s third day of play in the fourth Test on 2-61.

Ricky Ponting made 221 from 404 deliveries with 21 fours and skipper Clarke hit 210 off 275 balls with 26 fours and one six.

Their 386-run partnership in 380 minutes is the fourth-highest by an Australian pair for any wicket.

It’s also a new mark for Australians against India for any wicket.

And Clarke has become the third player in Test history to score a double hundred and a triple century in the same series and the first captain to do so.

“It’s very special,” Clarke said.

“One thing I’ve never really been too bothered about is statistics and records.

“It’s about playing the game. If records come along like that, it’s very special.

“I didn’t know that (record with Bradman and England’s Hammond) but it’s very nice to have scored some more runs.

“It’s very satisfying.

“It’s about enjoying the good times and when you’re not doing so well it’s continue to work hard and have the confidence in your own ability that things are going to turn around for you.”

Clarke said the wicket was very flat.

“It’s as good a batting wicket as you’re going to get,” he said.

Clarke, who shared a 288-run stand with Ponting in the Sydney Test, says he has formed a strong bond with his former skipper.

“Both of us were disappointed with our (Ashes) series last summer,” Clarke said.

“We speak a lot when we bat about what the other person has seen, to get help and advice and to keep both of us going.”

India’s Sachin Tendulkar is 12 not out and opener Gautam Gambhir is on 30. The tourists, who trail three-nil in the four-match series, require another 343 to make Australia bat again.

Captain Virender Sehwag was dropped at mid-wicket on five but soon fell caught and bowled by Peter Siddle after hitting 18 off 18 deliveries including three fours.

Veteran No.3 Rahul Dravid, 39, was bowled by Ben Hilfenhaus for one.

It was the sixth time ‘The Wall’ had been dismissed bowled in seven innings in the series.

Ishant said India were motivated by their four-wicket win in Adelaide eight summers ago.

“In 2003/04 they scored 556 runs and then we won the game from there so I think there is a positive that we can take out from that,” he said.