That ends a wonderful day of Test cricket. Cheteshwar Pujara stuck it out through the day and didn't give Australia any freebies. This is what Test batting is all about - putting a price on your wicket. Things could have gone downhill after Kohli fell for 6, but Pujara ensured India still had a safety net at the end of the day. Australia did well to limit India to 240 runs for the day. Pat Cummins was stellar on a flat pitch, bending his back and using the old-fashioned method of beating India with bounce. The spinners were restrictive in the morning and just when it looked like Australia would go to lunch wicketless, Vijay gave it away.
India will be looking to wipe out this deficit of 91 in the morning session tomorrow. Jadeja is yet to bat. There's more to come, surely. Do join us tomorrow morning for day four. Goodbye!
UPDATES
126 overs - INDIA - 351/6 (Pujara 128, Saha 11)
Just a few more overs left for the day. Pujara and Saha are watchful. No need to try anything risky. If Australia can get Pujara, the day is theirs.
WICKET - 328/6. R Ashwin c Wade b Cummins 3
A brute of a bouncer from Cummins and Ashwin sways back, tries to take his glove away! Given not out but Australia are reviewing it. Ultra Edge shows a slight deflection off the glove and Ashwin has to go. Ashwin didn't look too happy though.
113.5 overs - INDIA - 326/5
Almost a caught and bowled by Cummins. Ashwin gets a thick inside edge to his pads and the ball lobs up and clears Cummins who leaps and tries to take a blinder one handed
107.4 overs - WICKET - INDIA 320/5 Nair b Hazlewood 23
Bowled him! Karun Nair loses his off stump, Hazlewood gets it to swing back in, Nair was forward to drive, the ball hits the top of the off stump which lands a few yards back
100 overs - INDIA 303/4 (Pujara 109, Nair 13)
Missed opportunity for Australia? A ball from Hazlewood went down the leg side and clipped something before going to Wade. Pujara tried to work it away to fine leg. Australia appealed, given not out. They could have reviewed it though.
TEA, Day 3 - India 303/4 (Pujara 109, Nair 13)
An intriguing session and at this stage you can't say decisively which team is ahead. Both sides have work to do to claim the edge. Pujara was on top of his game in this session, after losing Kohli and Rahane fairly quickly. Kohli's dismissal came soon after the new ball was taken. Cummins had his tail up, teasing both Kohli and Rahane to fetch those wickets. Nair has started confidently. India behind by 148. Join us after tea.
For a summary of what happened on day 2, read S Dinakar's match report here.
And here are five observations from day 2.
93.2 overs - India 281/4
Century for Pujara! He gets there with a cover drive for four off Cummins. Finally, an Indian batsman opens his account with a century in this series. Job's far from over. He needs to continue to take control
91.2 overs - WICKET - Rahane c Wade b Cummins 14, India 276/4
Cummins has struck again with the new ball! This time he hits the pitch hard with a bouncer, Rahane tries the upper cut and edges to Wade, Rahane walks back probably wishing he left that alone
90 overs - 268/3 (Pujara 91, Rahane 14)
Pujara and Rahane have added 32 in ten overs. The new ball fetched the wicket of Kohli. Pace and spin from either end.
80.4 overs - WICKET - Kohli c Smith b Cummins 6, India 225/3
Virat's horror series continues! Caught at second slip, the second new ball was taken and Cummins strikes in his first over of a new spell, pitched up outside off, Kohli went for the drive, thick outside edge to Smith at second slip, he cupped it in front of his chest.
In fact just the previous ball could have gone for a boundary, but Maxwell dived and restricted them to three. That put Virat on strike and he edged to slip. Well.
75 overs - India 206/2 (Pujara 52, Kohli 1)
Fifty for Pujara ! He gets there with two boundaries in an over by O'Keefe. He whips one away off the backfoot exploiting the big gap at deep midwicket. He then steps down the track and pierces the gap at cover. Neat drive. India's top three have passed 50. What can we expect from Kohli today?
LUNCH - 70.4 OVERS - Ind 193/2 (Pujara 40)
70.4 overs - WICKET - 193/2 Vijay st Wade b O'Keefe 82
Oops! At the stroke of lunch, three balls to go, Vijay gives O'Keefe the charge and is stumped! Bowling over the wicket, Vijay was down the track, ball sneaked between bat and body, smart stumping by Wade. Vijay was playing for the turn but the ball went straight. Well.
69 overs - 190/1 (Vijay 82, Pujara 39)
With a steer for two to backward point, the century partnership is up between Pujara and Vijay. Virat Kohli is delighted. He looks like he's itching to go out there and bat. He's been on his feet
67 overs - 178/1 (Vijay 77, Pujara 32)
Vijay showing some urgency here by stepping down the track to Lyon and lofting over the off side. He's looking to attack the spinners more now
58.1 overs - 149/1 (Vijay 58)
Lucky escape for Vijay here as a bat-pad appeal is turned down! Lyon the bowler. The ball did take the inside edge after all before lobbing off pad and to forward short leg. Australia have no reviews remember.
57.6 overs - India 149/1 (Pujara 22, Vijay 58)
Appeal for an lbw and Australia have reviewed this. Pujara was defending very close to the pads and Smith reckoned it may have brushed the pad first. Ultra edge confirms an inside edge. The umpire's decision stands. Australia have used up both reviews.
It's been a slow and steady first hour for India. With the ball turning and bouncing they have been a bit cautious. There are a couple of fielders in the deep, allowing singles.
53.2 overs - India 141/1
The fifty partnership is up between Vijay and Pujara.
49.1 overs - India 133/1
With a single to cover, M Vijay reaches his fifty . Patient knock
46 overs - India 130/1 (Vijay 49, Pujara 13)
Confident start by M Vijay, using his feet against the spinners. He's one short of a fifty.
Meanwhile, Virat Kohli has padded up so if a wicket falls, he'll come out as planned.
Published - March 18, 2017 09:36 am IST
