Pujara steals show with 11th hundred, India trail by 91 runs

The other batsmen only managed 16 off 51 such deliveries that Cummins bowled.

On the match which is evenly placed after the third day, the Tamil Nadu batsman said taking the lead and building on it will be the key.

In the final Test of that series England batted first and made 477 only to be trampled on by the Indians as they racked up 7-759 in reply.

At lunch, Pujara was on 40 off 139 balls, and some in the commentary box were already talking of how the approach did not square with Kohli’s commitment to attacking cricket. Darren Lehmann, the Australian coach, has labelled the foursome as the modern version of the hallowed and feared West Indian pace battery of the 1980s. Cummins was hit for three boundaries, so was Steve O’Keefe while Hazlewood was dispatched to the ropes on two occasions.

Maybe, they assessed the wicket and feel it will be easier to score runs in the afternoon, and if that is the case, fair enough again.

# Pat Cummins bowls a brilliant over as Vijay pulls and misses.

Smith, who was on an overnight 117, continued from where he left off, eclipsing eclipsing Michael Clarke’s 130 for the highest score by the visiting Australian captain.

Pat Cummins has continued his barnstorming return to Test cricket, but Cheteshwar Pujara made life hard for Australia in the third Test. Cummins finished the day with 4 for 59 from 25 overs, bowling with pace and venom on a good batting pitch. “It’s just a matter of time for him to get back in the groove”.

Ajinkya Rahane threw away his wicket as well when he chased a short delivery from Cummins attempting an upper cut, only to edge it to the wicketkeeper.

The Jharkhand State Cricket Association International Stadium Complex track looked flawless for batting as Indian camp looked dispirited in absence of skipper Virat Kohli who remained away from the field, recovering from a shoulder strain.

A steady accumulator of runs in an Indian line-up of mostly flamboyant stroke-makers, Pujara’s solid defence stood him in great stead as his 11th test century underlined the virtue of playing along the turf, minimising risks.

First, Steve O’Keefe (1-67) had a loud shout for lbw against Pujara turned down in the 58th over. On the other hand, Australia will like to break this partnership and wrap up the Indian tail quickly and comeback in the game.

Kohli and Rahane fell in the second session, with Karun Nair (23) and Ashwin also returning to the sheds after tea. Saker said no restrictions had been placed on Cummins’ workload in this Test, but they did not expect him to have too much to do over the next two days.