The new batsman Ricky Ponting walked in and was greeted by Ajit Agarkar's beautiful first over, but Agarkar was quickly removed from the attack after some poor bowling resulted in damage of his figures which read: 5–1–40–0. Then having no other options, Ganguly turned towards the only spinner in his team, Harbhajan Singh. Harbhajan had dismissed Ponting five times in the 2000–01 series and had troubled the Australians with 32 wickets in three tests, but this time his first ball was savagely cut by Langer, and then Ponting dealt with him in the same manner.