Skipper Virat Kohli and top-order batsman Cheteshwar Pujara came up with a steady partnership as India put themselves in a strong position at stumps on the third day of the opening Test against Australia at the Adelaide Oval on Saturday.
The visitors posted 151-3 in their second innings at the end of the day’s play, thus maintaining a lead of 166 runs over Australia. At stumps, Pujara was batting on 40 while Ajinkya Rahane was on one at the other end.
Coming together after the fall of openers Lokesh Rahul and Murali Vijay, Pujara and Kohli added 71 runs between them to give the visitors a platform from which they now have the chance to go on and win the Test.
Kohli, who had lost his wicket to a somewhat careless shot in the first innings, employed a much more careful approach during his second essay.
The Indian captain was well on his way to what would have been a well-deserved half-century when he was outfoxed by some extra turn from off-spinner Natha Lyon a short while before stumps. This is the sixth time that Lyon has dismissed Kohli in the longest format of the game, the most in world cricket.
Kohli, who scored 34 runs off 104 deliveries, had tried to defend on the front foot, but the extra turn saw the ball take the edge of the bat before nestling in the hands of a delighted Aaron Finch at short leg.
During Kohli’s innings, he became the fourth Indian batsman to score 1,000 Test runs after after Sachin Tendulkar (1,809), VVS Laxman (1,236) and Rahul Dravid (1,143). He also became the fastest Indian batsman to achieve the feat.
Pujara, on the other hand, resumed from where he left off in the first innings. The Saurashtra batsman, who was run out after posting a gritty century in the first innings, put on yet another tenacious batting display and looks set to go on and register a big score.
Earlier, the visitors made a slow start to their innings, with KL Rahul (44) and Murali Vijay (18) leaving all outside-off deliveries initially.However, after playing the first 10 overs cautiously, runs started flowing in for India with Rahul notching up a few boundaries.
For Australia, apart from Lyon, fast bowlers Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood also picked up a wicket each.
Resuming at Friday’s score of 191 for seven in 88 overs, Australia were earlier bundled out for 235 runs in reply to India’s first innings total of 250 after rain played the spoilsport and delayed the start of the play.
Source: Zee News