India grind it out to build sizable lead

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Cheteshwar Pujara – who has been the difference between the two sides in this game – put up a resolute effort to remain unbeaten on 40 off 127 deliveries. He is accompanied at the crease by Ajinkya Rahane (1), the India vice-captain, who came into the middle after Virat Kohli's late dismissal.

While India are not exactly dictating terms just yet, they are already in a strong position, and will look to cash in on this platform come the fourth day. With the already lively pitch starting to develop sizeable footmarks, chasing is likely to be a tough proposition for the hosts.

Earlier in the day, it was Mohammed Shami who found success against the home batsmen, clinching two scalps off as many deliveries. Australia started at 191/7 with Travis Head (61*) and Mitchell Starc at the crease.

The duo added 27 runs for the eighth wicket, with Starc playing out 34 deliveries to score 15 runs. It was Jasprit Bumrah who drew the first blood, dismissing Starc with an enticing wide delivery. The batsman decided to drive hard, only to edge the ball to Rishab Pant behind the wickets.

Shami then followed up with his brace, dismissing Head for a well-made 72 before dismissing Josh Hazlewood – the final Australian wicket – for a golden duck. India thus cocooned a small but important first-innings lead of 15.

The visitors started their second innings well, with the openers – KL Rahul and Murali Vijay – building a 63-run stand for the first wicket. Rahul, in particular, remained assertive with the willow, taking the pressure off with a confident 44 at the top of the order.

Vijay (18) was the first Indian wicket to fall, as he nicked Hazlewood to Peter Handscomb in the slip cordon. Pujara, who replaced the opener, was put under pressure by Nathan Lyon, who was bowling in the rough to extract maximum – and unpredictable – turn from the wicket.

Pujara was given out twice by the on-field umpire, but two successful reviews – one off a caught-behind appeal and another off an LBW decision – saw the first-innings centurion survive.

Rahul, who had played very well up until that point, offered a loose shot to an out-swinger from Starc. The ball caught a thick edge off his bat, flying straight to the Australia skipper behind the wicket.

Virat Kohli, the India skipper, then walked into the middle and played a very important role in keeping Australia at bay. Batting at a strike-rate of 32.69, he went back to the basics to deny the hosts an easy wicket.

Pujara and Kohli notched up a crucial 71-run partnership for the third wicket, wrestling control with their patient yet persistent display. Lyon's relentless efforts finally bore fruit in the dying stages of day's play, when he dismissed the India captain for a 104-ball 34 to give Australia a way back into the game.

India will look to extend the overall lead at least past 300, and Pujara will be crucial to those efforts.

Australia, on the other hand, will look to get two quick wickets upfront to claw back in the game. Either way, it will be a tight contest on the fourth morning, which may very well go on to decide the winner of the contest.