New Delhi:
Cheteshwar Pujara has hit a brilliant century and will have to forge a strong partnership with Karun Nair to take India to a dominant position in the Ranchi Test. The match is evenly poised due to consistent strikes by Australian bowlers. Earlier, Ajinya Rahane fell while trying to play the upper cut against Pat Cummins' raging pace.
Live cricket score: India vs Australia, Ranchi Test, Day 3
Although the Australian bowlers are troubling the batsmen a lot, both of them will look to forge a strong partnership and take their team to a dominant position.
Virat Kohli was witnessed practising in the nets and India will hope that their skipper is full fit to bat.
Australia begun the proceedings with fast bowler Josh Hazlewood and spinner Steve O' Keefe. Whereas O'Keefe has kept one end tied up, the fast bowlers, Cummins and Hazlewood are plying their trade from the other end.
India had wrested the initiative on the second day of the Test as they restricted Australia to a score of 451 runs. Although Steven Smith and Glenn Maxwell both hit classy centuries, Ravindra Jadeja took yet another five wicket haul to turn the match in India's favour.
Hosting its maiden Test match, the Ranchi wicket looks a batting paradise and the Indian openers gave a strong foundation to the innings. Rahul carried on from where he had left at Bengaluru while hitting one more classy half-century. Rahul and Vijay constructed a 91-run opening partnership before Pat Cummins unsettled Rahul into gloving a catch to wicketkeeper Wade. Pujara and Vijay however carried on to take India past the 100 run mark and keep the initiative with the hosts.
Here are the highlights of India vs Australia, Ranchi Test, Day 3:
#At stumps, Pujara and Saha develop solid partnership, Host crosses 350 run mark
#Pujara and Saha developing a steady partnership
#Caught behind appeal against Ashwin, he is given out after third umpire review
#Pujara scores wonderful boundary
#Ashwin comes out to bat
#Karun Nair gets out
#Karun Nair looking solid
# Its tea time now. Both the teams leave the field for the tea-break. India still trail Australia by 148 runs and have 6 wickets remaining with them in the first innings.
# Nair and Pujara have struck up a partnership as India's score has surpassed the 300 run-mark.
# Pujara hits a brilliant four off Pat Cummins' bowling to bring up his 11th Test ton. All eyes rest on this man to take India to a formidable position in the match.
# India 277/4 in 93.1 overs.
# Nair defends stoutly and sees off Cummins over without any further hiccups
# Karun Nair comes out to bat and faces the tearaway fast bowler Pat Cummins
# Pat Cummins to Rahane, out Caught by Wade!! Out of the bolt, against the run of play, Rahane throws his wicket away. A banged in delivery outside off, Rahane looks to play the upper cut but only manages a faint tickle to be taken by the keeper.
# India 260/3 off 87.5 overs
# Lyon is bowling from one end whereas Pat Cummins is brought back into the attack from the other end.
# Rahane hooks a shortish ball from Hazlewood for four.
# Rahane and Pujara are batting brilliantly.
# India 235/3 off 83.2 overs.
# Pujara hits one more FOUR off Pat Cummins. He uses the pace of the ball and plays the ball off the back foot towards the boundary.
# Pat Cummins to Pujara, FOUR, off the bat and past the diving Matthew Wade. It was an excellent dive and Wade wasn't far away from the ball. Short of a length delivery down the leg-side, Pujara tries to glance, it goes very fine and he was almost caught.
# Ajinkya Rahane comes to the crease. India will expect Pujara and Rahane to repeat their Bengaluru heroics.
# Virat Kohli becomes Pat Cummins victim and falls for 6 runs. Huge blow to India as skipper Kohli goes. The crowd falls silent.
# Cheteshwar Pujara hits a four off Pat Cummins bowling. He uses the pace of the ball to score the boundary through mid-wicket.
# Cheteshwar Pujara hit a classy half century as India surpassed the 200-run mark.
# O'Keefe and Hazlewood bowling in tandem as India score 198/2 in 73 overs.
# Both Kohli and Pujara are playing the Australian bowlers at ease.
# Pujara hits a four off Hazlewood and inches closer to the half-century mark.
# Indian skipper Virat Kohli has come out to bat and the crowd welcomes him with a rapturous response.
# Murali Vijay becomes O'Keefe's first victim. India loses second wicket. Lunch called on Day 3.
# India 193/2 in 70.4 overs.
# India 155/1 in 63.2 overs.
# Australia have lost both of their reviews but the spinners are troubling the batsmen.
# The Australian spinners are trying to build a web against Indian batsmen.
# Vijay and Pujara take the score to 151/1 in 60 overs
# It's a tense moment for India but technology proves otherwise and Pujara is given not out.
# Australia takes a review as they appeal for LBW against Pujara off O'Keefe's bowling.
# O'Keefe and Pujara bowl probing spells as India finds scoring tough.
# India 144/1 in 56 overs.
# Its spin from both sides as Nathan Lyon too comes to bowl.
# Pujara hits a four to deep mid-wicket off O'Keefe's bowling and releases some of the pressure
# The pull was a half-hearted attempt from Vijay and could have been costly for India.
# Pat Cummins bowls a brilliant over as Vijay pulls and misses.
# The Australian bowlers have been miserly since the day begun. Only 12 runs have been scored thus far in 9 overs.
# Murali Vijay hits a brilliant half-century.
# Pat Cummins comes in to bowl. Pujara shows good defence against Cummins' pace.
# Pujara faced trouble against the short ball and got hit on the back. After copping a blow, he shadow-practices the pull shot.
# Hazlewood bowls a brilliant over as only one run comes from it.
# Both Vijay and Pujara batting with ease.
# Hazlewood and O'Keefe bowl a tight line hereafter as India reaches 130-1 in 45. 1 overs.
# Vijay goes aggressive against O'Keefe and lofts the spinner over long on for a massive six. What a cracker of a shot!
# Left arim-spinner Steve O'Keefe opens the attack along with Hazlewood.
# Hazlewood first over yields only 1 run. Good start for Australia.
# Australia began the day with Josh Hazlewood.
# Players on the field now. Play commences
# Play to begin at 9:30 A.M.
