Perth, Sunday: Australia's batsmen battled a deteriorating pitch in their bid to build a match-winning lead on the third day of the second Test in Perth on Sunday.
The hosts led by 43 after both teams' first innings despite a superb Virat Kohli century, but found batting incredibly tough in their second innings.
At stumps, Australia were 132 for four, with Usman Khawaja on 41 and Tim Paine on eight, an overall lead of 175.
Although they still had six wickets in hand, opener Aaron Finch was taken to hospital for scans after retiring hurt with an injured right hand on 25. The Australians played and missed time and again as they battled to extend their lead, with Jasprit Bumrah (1-25) almost unplayable at times and well supported by India's three other pacemen as they maintained unrelenting pressure on the batsmen.
Shaun Marsh (5) and Peter Handscomb (13) again fell cheaply, doing little to ease the pressure on their pair to retain their spots in the side.
In reply to Australia's 326 after winning the toss and batting, India were bowled out for 283 despite Kohli's 123. Kohli reached his century with a classic straight drive off paceman Mitchell Starc, having been at the crease for 310 minutes and faced 214 balls. Two overs later he produced the shot of the match when he lifted Josh Hazlewood over third man for six. - AFP
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