After I got hit on the helmet, I had more confidence Virender Sehwag Quotes: Sehwag reflects Photos: MCG action Feature: Sehwag's maturity

Dashing opener Virender Sehwag hit a sparkling 195 to give India a big advantage at stumps on the first day of the third Test against Australia.

Sehwag hit 25 fours and five sixes on the way to his 233-ball 195 - but he was also dropped twice between 50 and 100 as the Aussies erred in the field.

He was hit on the helmet three times by Brett Lee, who deserved more than the one wicket he claimed in the day.

Akash Chopra (48) and Rahul Dravid (49) gave Sehwag stout support.

Indian captain Sourav Ganguly won the toss and on a perfect midsummer's morning in Victoria elected to bat first.

He was rewarded as openers Sehwag and Chopra weathered an early storm to put the tourists, who did not lose their first wicket until the start of the fourth hour, firmly in the driving seat.

The opening pair put on 141 before Chopra attempted a sweep off Stuart MacGill and was caught off a deflected edge at short-leg by Katich.

By then, Katich had spilled a sitter at backward point when Sehwag, on 66, had mistimed a cut shot off Lee.

Sehwag got another let-off moments later when Justin Langer put down a sharp chance in the gully and he was in no mood to let the Aussies off the hook.

His century came when a Brad Williams half-volley was despatched to the midwicket fence for four.

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And he celebrated with a superb lofted off-drive for six when Steve Waugh, in desperation, brought himself into the attack.

After Chopra's dismissal, Sehwag was joined by second-Test hero Dravid, and the pair put on 78 in 14 overs.

Waugh finally broke that partnership when he had Dravid caught off his medium pace by Damien Martyn.

Out-of-form Sachin Tendulkar was caught down the leg-side by wicket-keeper Adam Gilchrist to fall for a first-ball duck as Lee finally celebrated a wicket.

And in the final hour, Sehwag, after registering his highest Test score, eventually fell to a catch at deep mid-wicket by Nathan Bracken off the left-arm wrist-spin of Katich.

India, who lead the four-match series 1-0, included a fit-again Zaheer Khan in the team in place of Irfan Pathan.

Australia had Lee back from injury to replace Jason Gillespie, and Bracken surprisingly came in for Andy Bichel.

Australia Justin Langer, Matthew Hayden, Ricky Ponting, Damien Martyn, Steve Waugh (captain), Simon Katich, Adam Gilchrist, Brett Lee, Brad Williams, Nathan Bracken, Stuart MacGill