Indian batsmen keep the visitors in a strong position at the end of day 3 of the first Test against Australia at Adelaide Oval (Adelaide). Having a lead of 166-run, India finished the day 3 on 151/3.

The hosts Australia battled hard at the end of their first innings and managed to put 235 runs on the board before getting all-out. The day start was delayed for more than an hour due to the rain.

Starting the day on their overnight score 191/7, Mitchell Starc (15) was caught behind early on the day, just after Australia crossed the 200-run mark. After that wicket, the match was again interrupted due to the rain.

The match restarted around another hour later and Australia was bundled out for 235 runs. Travis Head scored 72 off 167 balls (6 fours) while Nathan Lyn remained not out on 24 runs. As the visitors India scored 250 in their first innings, Australia finished that innings by trailing 15 runs.

The Indian pacer Mohammed Shami (2/58) finished that innings by picking up two consecutive wickets at the end. He will now have to start on a hat-trick during Australia’s second innings of the game. Apart from Shami, Ishant Sharma (2/47) also picked up two wickets while Jasprit Bumrah (3/47) and Ravichandran Ashwin (3/57) bagged three wickets each.

As the drizzling again interrupted the game, the lunch was taken during that break. Coming to bat after that rain-interruption, the Indian openers KL Rahul and Murali Vijay had a 63-run partnership before Vijay was caught out on 18 runs.

Rahul was playing in a very good manner as he scored 44 off 67 balls (3 fours and only six) before losing his wicket after playing a loose shot that found an edge to the keeper.

Also watch:  KL Rahul Handled The Ball, Tim Paine Got Angry

Then the first-innings centurion Cheteshwar Pujara and the skipper Virat Kohli were very patience on the pitch. They provided a valuable 71-run partnership for the third wicket before Kohli was dismissed by the off-spinner Nathan Lyon on 34 runs off 104 balls (3 fours).

Soon after that wicket, India finished the day on 151/3 while Pujara (40*) was not out along with Ajinkya Rahane (1*).

Also read: Aaron Finch’s Funny Reply When Tim Paine Poked Him

Among the Aussie bowlers, Mitchell Starc (1/18), Josh Hazlewood (1/25) and Nathan Lyon (1/48) have picked up one wicket each.

Some important stats of day 3 of Adelaide Test between Australia and India

• Australia was bowled out on 235 runs in their first innings. It was their second-lowest total in their opening innings of a home Test series against India. Their lowest total is 166 at Brisbane during 1977/78 summer.
• Australia was bundled out for 235 runs in their first innings. It is their third lowest completed Test innings total against India at Adelaide Oval (Adelaide). The top two in this list are 145 (January 1992) and 196 (December 2003).
• Indian wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant grabbed six catches during Australia’s first innings. After MS Dhoni (against New Zealand at Wellington in April 2009), Pant becomes the second Indian wicketkeeper to take six catches in a Test innings.
• Playing only the 9th Test and 18th Test innings in Australia, the Indian skipper Virat Kohli (1,028 runs) completed 1,000 runs in this country. Kohli is the quickest Asian to complete 1,000 Test runs in Australia.
• After dismissing Virat Kohli for the sixth time in Test cricket, the Aussie off-spinner Nathan Lyon becomes the first bowler to dismiss Virat Kohli for more than five times in Test cricket.