Snapshot for day 3 of the second Test

Pujara, who was batting so well, was surprised by a bouncer from Hazlewood as he edged one towards gully.

The fast bowler will want to complete a five-for and give his batsmen as low a target as possible. After the second session, we didn’t lose any wickets and consolidated in the third.

Things changed drastically after Australia took the new ball in the 85th over.

India’s move to promote all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja in the batting order also backfired when the left-hander was bowled by Hazlewood for two. However, the show was stolen away by Cheteshwar Pujara (79*) and Ajinkya Rahane’s (40*) partnership for fifth wicket. Then, Pujara and Rahane dropped anchor at the wicket and built a well-structured partnership. These two are looking confident at the crease.

“If we can put up another good show in the next two or three sessions then we should be in a good position”, he said while declining to nominate a target – with India’s lead now a challenging, if not daunting, 126 – from which they considered themselves unlikely to get rolled.

Nathan Lyon, while not getting quite the same purchase from the first innings, looked threatening, without taking any wicket, and with Steven O’Keefe an option as well, Australia do have the spinners to trouble India.

Questions were asked about India’s use of Decision Review System (DRS) and Pujara said they are still learning to use it in a better way. Jadeja struck removing the important wicket of Smith with a length ball on the middle stump.

It was an up and down day for India where there were periods of slight dominance before the Australians negated it with some stubborn play. Then after Pujara and KL Rahul (51, 84b, 4×4) put on 45 runs for the second wicket, Smith took a blinder at slip off O’Keefe to send the latter back. At stumps, India took a convincing lead of 126 runs over Australia in Bengaluru. Mukund and Rahul got India of to a secured start going into tea, without losing a wicket. Despite his poor form, he could be Australia’s biggest nemesis on this pitch on Day 4 and 5. Virat Kohli, who has only scored 40 runs in the series so far, fell lbw for 15.

India batting coach Sanjay Bangar said: “We have fought really well after the setback of not scoring runs in the first innings”.