Here's the Highlights of Day two of the third Test between Australia and India at the Sydney Cricket Ground in Sydney.
INDIA VS AUSTRALIA, THIRD TEST, SCG, DAY 2 LIVE SCORE
Stumps | Day 2 - India 96/2 after 45 overs | Trails by 242 runs
Steve Smith roared back into form with a brilliant century - his 27th Test century but India wrestled back with Ravindra Jadeja picking four wickets as Australia was bowled out for 338. India in reply was off to a good start with openers Shubman Gill and Rohit Sharma getting into the groove with the former hitting his maiden half-century. However, Australia made its way back by removing the openers but skipper Ajinkya Rahane and Cheteshwar Pujara survived a tricky period of play to carry their bat through. Do join us tomorrow at 4:30 AM in what promises to be a cracker of a day.
India 89/2 after 40 overs: Rahane survives! Tim Paine went for the review as Rahane did not offer a shot and the impact was outside the off-stump. The ball tracking showed that the ball was hitting off and the on-field decision stays.. Australia retains the review.
India 86/2 after 36 overs: Rahane and Pujara are off the mark and India after doing all the hard work will aim to not lose a wicket. Very crucial passage of play as there are still at least seven overs to go and both Rahane and Pujara would like to carry their bat through after the openers laid the platform.
India 86/2 after 33 overs: Gill scores his maiden Test fifty. WICKET - And only moments after, Cummins puts Australia right on top as he forces Gill to poke at a ball just nipping away from him. Cameron Green dives to his left at gully to complete an excellent take. Skipper Ajinkya Rahane joins Cheteshwar Pujara at the crease.
India 84/1 after 30 overs:
Gill punches the very next ball after Rohit's dismissal through covers to get a boundary. That momentarily releases some pressure off the Indians. He follows it up with another boundary off the 29th over.
India 70/1 after 27 overs: WICKET - Hazlewood strikes and breaks the opening stand as Rohit falls for 77-ball 26. Full delivery, Rohit goes for the drive and hits straight back at the bowler and the Birthday boy holds on to it. Cheteshwar Pujara walks out to join Gill.
India 61/0 after 24 overs: Excellent Review from Rohit - Fantastic review from Rohit as he was given out, bat-pad off Lyon but the opener reviewed it immediately and replays suggested there was nothing on HotSpot and not a spike in Sniko. The on-field decision has been overturned and Rohit survives.
India 61/0 after 23 overs: Shubman Gill is playing some lovely strokes as this time he pulls Hazlewood through the mid-wicket for a boundary and the partnership is steadily growing for India. This is such a strong start and Australia in desperate need for a wicket here.
India 50/0 after 19 overs: Rohit and Gill bring the fifty-run opening partnership and what a brilliant start this has been from India. Rohit has started to dictate terms as he sweeps Lyon for a boundary and then gets to the pitch of the ball and smokes over long-on for a maximum.
India 34/0 after 14 overs: Spin being introduced and Nathan Lyon starts with a maiden. The spinner lures Rohit to go for a big shot but the opener decides against taking any risk and defends solidly. Gill, meanwhile, is timing the ball perfectly and is looking in good touch exhibiting some good leaves.
India 26/0 after 10 overs: Hazlewood starts with a maiden and he has been spot on with the length as one occasion squares up Rohit as the ball just misses the outside edge and then the opener survives a LBW appeal and it was the height that saved him.
Right then we are back for the final session and it will be a key session for both the teams. There are no demons in the pitch and both Rohit and Gill would like to capitalise on the conditions and carry their bat through. For Australia, it's all about wickets. Here we go.
Tea Day 2: India 26/0 after 9 overs - Trails by 312 runs
Top stuff from Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill as they have seen through the little testing period and have given India a sedate start. Both batsmen have looked comfortable in the middle and have played some lovely shots including the pull as the Australian bowlers haven't been that threatening. Back in 20...
India 26/0 after 6 overs: Rohit unleashes his favourite pull shot and connects well to dispatch Hazlewood over the deep square leg boundary and he is looking solid in the middle. Gill, meanwhile, is playing his shots with a pull off Starc being the pick of his shot. India off to a very good start.
India 11/0 after 4 overs: Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill give India a sedate start with the former getting his first boundary with a firm punch through the square.
India 5/0 after 1 over: Starc gets the ball to swing in and Rohit gets off the mark with a flick to the fine leg region. Gill meanwhile, is off the mark with a boundary to the mid-off fence.
Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill are out there in the middle to begin India's innings and it will be Mitchell Starc with the new ball. Crucial 10 minutes awaits India.
End of Innings: Australia 338 all out in 105.4 overs
A terrific knock comes an end as Ravindra Jadeja hits the bulls' eye to run out Steve Smith, who falls for a brilliant 131 off 226 deliveries as Australia folds out for 338. Great comeback by India, given the fact that Labuschagne and Smith raised a century stand. However, credit to Jadeja for picking a four-wicket haul 18-3-62-4 and along with Bumrah ensured Australia don't post a huge first innings total.
Australia 315/9 after 103 overs: Jadeja strikes and he has a four-for as he traps Nathan Lyon for a duck. What a morning the left-arm spinner is having. Fires in full again, Lyon is late to get his bat down in time and the ball hits his boot. Australia review but that's hitting middle and leg.
Australia 310/8 after 102 overs: WICKET - Mitchell Starc has played his part with a quickfire 30-ball 24 and ensured Australia crosses the 300-run mark. Saini gets his man as Starc miscues a pull and Shubman Gill settles under the skier at mid-on. However, Smith is still out there and he will make sure his team gets past the 350-run mark.
Australia 291/7 after 98 overs: 27th Test Century for Steve Smith! What a fine innings this has been from Smith and the former Australian skipper roars back into form with a dominating century from 201 balls. Smith tucks Saini to the backward square region, takes three runs and lets out a loud roar and waves his bat towards the dressing room. He is pumped up and this has been an innings of highest quality. Top knock!
Australia 279/7 after 95 overs: WICKET - Jadeja strikes again and he picks his third wicket as he castles Pat Cummins for a duck. Jadeja fires it full and yorks Cummins as the ball hits the base of off-stump. Meanwhile, Smith is on 99 as Mitchell Starc walks in.
Australia 273/6 after 93 overs: Steve Smith is five runs shy of what would be a brilliant comeback century from one of the modern masters. Bumrah digs it short, Pant fails to collect it and Australia will take those runs. Smith is cool as ice and is absolutely in no hurry to get to the landmark.
Australia 255/6 after 89 overs: WICKET - Bumrah strikes and he castles Tim Paine to give India control. What a comeback from India this has been and the Australian skipper departs for just 1. Length delivery, nips back in, Paine pushes forward but the ball sneaks past the gap between bat and pad to hit the top of off-stump. Peach of a delivery. Pat Cummins is the new man in.
Australia 252/5 after 88 overs: Bumrah and Siraj are bowling tight lines and there is a slight change in plan from the Indian attack as they are now back bowling the line outside the off-stump and Smith knocks them behind square to rotate strike. Siraj and Bumrah have kept a lid on the Australian skipper.
We are back for the second session and it will be Jasprit Bumrah who will complete his over with Tim Paine on strike. India will aim to make further inroads and most importantly dismiss Steve Smith. Australia, on the other hand, will aim to see off the second new ball that is five overs old and post a big first innings total.
Lunch Day 2: Australia 249/5 after 84.5 overs - India's session as Bumrah strikes at the stroke of Lunch and traps Cameron Green for a duck. Excellent from the lead bowler as he gets the ball to nip back in, Green gets beaten and the ball thuds into the pads and it was plumb. India will be happy that have Australia five down on a good batting surface but they still have to dismiss Steve Smith, who is batting on 76 and it will be skipper Tim Paine who will be walking out after the Lunch break. Join us in 40...
Australia 249/4 after 84 overs: India has taken the second new ball and it's Siraj who is partnering Bumrah. There is a hint of swing for Siraj as he gets the in-swinger into play and Green negotiates well. A wicket just at the stroke of Lunch would further lift India.
Second New Ball Taken
Australia 145/4 after 80 overs: Although Jadeja has got two wickets, the spinner has struggled to find the right length as Smith punishes him for two boundaries and the former Australian skipper has found his form back. Jadeja drops short and Smith rocks back to cut through point and then slaps through covers to move into the 70s. Cameron Green is yet to open his account.
Australia 232/4 after 77 overs: WICKET - Jadeja strikes again and Matthew Wade has thrown his wicket away. Wade took the attacking route but that didn't pay much dividends after he fetched a couple of boundaries. Wade skipped down the track and tried to play across the line, employed the flick but got a leading edge as the ball flew over mid-on and Bumrah ran back and took a good catch.
Australia 226/3 after 76 overs: Smith continues to play aggressively as he employs the sweep on numerous ocassions and this time dispatches Ashwin to the square leg boundary. Vihari has taken a couple of hits at the short leg region with the physio attending to him.
Australia 217/3 after 73 overs: There is no stopping Steve Smith as he patiently negotiates Jadeja before spanking the spinner through the covers to start proceedings with a boundary.
The covers are off and live action is underway
Rain halts play
The drizzle has picked up and the large white covers are firmly in place. Just when Australia thought they were bossing the game, Jadeja made a vital breakthrough by removing Labuschagne to bring India back. Smith, meanwhile, has reached his half-century. Will be back once the rain subsides.
Australia 208/3 after 71 overs: WICKET - India strikes and it is Jadeja who gets the prized scalp of Marnus Labuschagne. There was a bit of extra bounce, Labuschangne rocks back trying to punch but was cramped, gets a thick outside edge and Ajinkya Rahane at first slip takes an excellent catch and the century stand between Labuschagne and Smith is broken. Labuschagne departs for an excellent 196-ball 91.
Australia 195/2 after 68 overs: Ashwin is finally introduced into the attack and he starts well but Smith dances down the track, making intentions clear that he is going to counter-attack the off-spinner. Meanwhile, Labuschagne has moved into the 80s and is looking extremely comfortable in the middle. The punch off the backfoot from both the batsmen has been the pick of the shot, so far in this innings.
The covers are coming off and we will have a resumption shortly
Rain stops play
Australia 183/2 after 64 overs: Review Lost - India loses a review as Rahane went upstairs for a Smith LBW but the ball was going way over the stumps. The Indian bowlers are still keeping the ball in the middle and leg-stump line and are bowling to Smith on his pads. There is a slight drizzle in the air but the game is on with Jadeja being introduced into the attack. Still no signs of Ashwin.
Australia 178/2 after 60 overs: The lines have been pretty straight from Siraj and Bumrah but with no assistance from the surface, India needs to change their plan. There is a packed leg side but both Smith and Labuschagne are able to pierce the gaps and keep the scorecard ticking.
Australia 167/2 after 56 overs: Good start from Siraj as he poses questions to Smith with a short ball and another back of length delivery that kicked off the surface with the batsman tucking it to fine leg. Just a single from the second day's opening over.
Mohammed Siraj is ready with the hard red cherry and it will be Smith on strike.
Right then we are all set for Day 2 to begin and the first session will be very crucial for India. Smith and Labuschagne are looking in great nick and most importantly Smith has shown that he is in a hurry to score runs with a set batsman motoring on nicely at the other end. India needs to pick wickets on a track, that is offering minimum support to the bowlers.
Day 1 Report: Pucovski, Labuschagne shine as Australia takes honours on Day One
Marnus Labuschagne posted an unbeaten 67 and shared partnerships of 100 with Will Pucovski and 60 with Steve Smith to help Australia reach 166-2 at stumps after a rain-interrupted opening day of the third Test against India.
Scorecard and ball-by-ball commentary
Australia won the toss and elected to bat at the Sydney Cricket Ground, giving Pucovski an immediate taste of Test cricket as the 22-year-old opener started the innings with veteran David Warner.
WATCH: Debutant Will Pucovski dropped twice by Pant on way to maiden fifty
Warner lasted only eight balls and scored five runs on his comeback from injury before he chased a full and wide ball from Mohammed Siraj and was caught at first slip with the total at 6.
Pucovski continued with Labuschagne and looked at times assured in his Test debut and at times lucky to still be at the crease. He had three reprieves on his way to 50, a milestone he passed in the over before tea with consecutive boundaries against Navdeep Saini — the first two balls in Test cricket for the Indian fast bowler.
Toss: Australia has won the toss and opted to bat first
Playing XI:
India: Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane (C), Hanuma Vihari, Rishabh Pant (WK), Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Navdeep Saini
Australia: David Warner, Will Pucovski, Marnus Labuschagne, Steven Smith, Matthew Wade, Cameron Green, Tim Paine (C/WK), Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood
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