IND vs Aus 1st Test, Day 3 Stumps: Kohli-Pujara show earns India a strong lead

IND vs Aus 1st Test, Day 3 Stumps: India were 151 for three at stumps on the third day of the opening Test against Australia here Saturday, extending their overall lead to 166 runs

Indian skipper Virat Kohli and Cheteshwar Pujara steadied the ship with their 71-run partnership in the last session of the third day of the Adelaide Test. The hosts have taken a healthy lead of 166 runs in the second innings so far, after losing 3 wickets. At stumps, Pujara remained unbeaten on 40 and was accompanied with vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane (1*).

The duo put up a magnificent 2-hour long batting show, making the hosts toil really hard under the overcast conditions. The Indian skipper reached another remarkable feat, surpassing the 87-year-old record of former legend, Sir Donald Bradman to become the fastest batsmen to get 1000 Test runs on the Australian soil.

Pujara yet again survived to a scare off Nathan Lyon’s delivery in the 40^th over. He was given LBW but the DRS save him as the replay showed the ball spinning back sharply. Ball tracking said it was going over and the decision got overturned.

A few overs ahead of the stumps, Lyon got the much-needed breakthrough broke the 71-run partnership by dismissing Kohli in the 58^th over. Aaron Finch took an easy catch at the short-leg to reduce India to 147/3.

Rahane joined Pujara at the crease and the pair will resume the innings on day four at 151/3

Earlier, the Indian opening duo – KL Rahul and Murali Vijay – went off to a promising start as they brought up 50-plus run partnership for the opening wicket for the first time on foreign soil. They both added 63 runs before Murali repeated the mistake he committed in the first innings and was dismissed by Mitchell Starc off a length and wider delivery. He ended up scoring 18 off 53.

The 25th over witnessed the end of Rahul on 44. He tried to hit Hazlewood over mid-off on the up, but the ball moved away to take the edge through to Paine.

Skipper Virat Kohli was the next man in and brought the 100-run lead for India in the second innings.

Earlier, replying to India's first-innings total of 250, Australia were all out for 235 to give the visitors a 15-run lead before they started their second innings at the Adelaide Oval.

The start of the day's play was delayed due to rain, which also interrupted proceedings before lunch.

Brief scores:

India: 250 and 151/3 in 61 overs (K L Rahul 44, Cheteshwar Pujara batting 40)

Australia 1st innings: 235 all out in 98.4 overs (Travis Head 72; Jasprit Bumrah 3/47, Ravichandran Ashwin 3/57).