It happens sometimes that people get after you, but you have to take it in your stride Sourav Ganguly

The Indian skipper played one of his greatest Test innings on Sunday to steer India to a 39-run lead over Steve Waugh's Australians.

It wiped out the threat of defeat in the opening Test with a day to play.

Ganguly said simply: "I believe in my ability to score runs, and that's what I look to do."

He hit 144, his 11th Test century and first against Australia, to expel any doubts that the bouncy wickets Down Under would be his undoing.

Banned Australian spinner Shane Warne had said Ganguly had a weakness for short-pitched bowling and would be severely tested.

The 31-year-old left-hander more than answered his critics, hitting 18 boundaries in his near five-hour innings before holing out to Jason Gillespie at deep mid-off off leg-spinner Stuart MacGill.

Asked what he would now say to his detractors, Ganguly said: "We have a job to do, they have a job to do, so life will go on, the game will go on, so I just want to play the game my way.

Ganguly punches the air after reaching three figures on Sunday

"It happens sometimes that people get after you, but you have to take it in your stride and it's a professional sport, so go ahead."

India's quest to win a Test in Australia for the first time since 1981 will continue in Adelaide with a draw the only probably outcome in Brisbane.

But Ganguly said things were shaping up well for his side.

He commented: "It's good that I scored a hundred, but [VVS] Laxman batted superbly, and Akash Chopra, Virender Sehwag and Parthiv Patel all contributed.

"Despite two of our best players not scoring runs [Rahul Dravid and Sachin Tendulkar], that's a very good sign for the team.

"If we can continue to do that for the rest of the series then we will do well."

Ganguly paid a glowing tribute to former Australian Test captain Greg Chappell who has been coaching him on his batting.