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Melbourne: Heading into day three of the Boxing Day Test at the MCG with a lead of 422, Australia would have fancied their chances of taking control of the third Test; more so when Ryan Harris and Shane Watson dismissed the overnight Indian batsmen - Cheteshwar Pujara (25) and Murali Vijay (68) - inside the first hour of play.
The sizable crowd at the MCG would have started to sense a very usual trend, but Virat Kohli (169) and Ajinkya Rahane (147) denied the hosts producing a memorable 262-run stand for the fourth wicket in just 57.4 overs to help India get close to Australia's first innings total. But a flurry of wickets late in the day ensured Australia go in to Day 4 with a slight advantage. India ended the day on 462 for 8, trailing Australia by 68 runs.
While on day two, the Indian bowlers were rendered so ineffective by Steven Smith and Co. that they resembled club level bowlers bowling in the nets, day three saw an engrossing battle between bat and ball. Kohli and Rahane who started their association in the 12th over of the day, countered the Australian pace attack for nearly two sessions with positive mindset and some sublime strokeplay.
Sunday morning at the MCG was another good day for batting but with Harris and Mitchell Johnson around, India were kept in leash early. However, all that changed when Kohli walked out to bat. Kohli got some length balls early on and he did not fail to pounce on them. Playing out of his crease, Kohli punched a fuller one from Harris with perfect timing towards covers off the eighth ball he faced. An over later, the 26-year-old drove one straight off Johnson to take his second boundary of the day.
Soon after Rahane joined Kohli in the middle, batting became easier and runs started to come at a good pace. Watson and Josh Hazlewood who started their spells in a disciplined manner, leaked runs as they pulled their lengths back a bit. Harris and Johnson in their second spells were also taken for some runs.
Kohli and Rahane continued to score freely after lunch, adding 59 runs in nearly 12 overs. Australia's new Test skipper Smith was under the pump for the first time and his response was to go back to his strike bowlers. With the new ball taken, Harris and Johnson came on for another brief spell and even though both failed to take any wicket, Johnson made an impact.
Three overs after the hosts had taken the new ball, Kohli, batting on 74, pushed a Johnson delivery back to the bowler and Johnson threw the ball back taking down Kohli. The batsman went down as soon as the ball hit his calves and with a few words exchanged afterwards, Kohli, who had played a near perfect innings till that time, lost his concentration.
Kohli went after a wide one - his first loose shot of the day - and missed. He went on to edge one off Johnson to first slip where Watson dropped a decent chance. He then top-edged a short ball to backward square-leg that landed short of a diving Brad Haddin, again off the same bowler. Kohli looked disturbed and Johnson's aggression - how unintentionally it might have been - seemed to be working.
But, Rahane, at the other end relieved the pressure crashing Harris of three boundaries - one of them being a disdainful slap through point. To make matters worse, Australia were abysmal in the field dropping five catches. Lyon dropped Rahane on 70, four overs before Watson missed Kohli's catch.
Rahane played with a finesse which was last seen during his Lord's hundred. He was quick to pounce on anything short and was brilliant square of the wicket. Rahane's domination even prompted Smith to spread his field out, but to no avail. What was noteworthy to see was that he played the pull shot with freedom. He went on to outscore Kohli and reached his third Test hundred. Kohli also completed his ninth Test century - his fifth against Australia - courtesy a boundary off Lyon.
In the final session, they hit top gear and laid to waste Johnson with Kohli clobbering the Australian for three boundaries in a row - a feat repeated by Rahane one over later. Johnson who had produced a fiery spell early in the morning failed to find his rhythm since then.
Rahane departed trying to up the ante to Lyon, but not before hitting 20 boundaries in his 171-ball stay. Kohli continued and racked up his first 150-plus score in Tests. Debutant KL Rahul had a forgettable outing as he was dismissed for 3 while MS Dhoni poked around for a while before falling to Harris for 11. Harris added his fourth victim of the innings getting rid of Ravichandran Ashwin for 0. But the wicket of Kohli hurt India the most as he chased a wide one from Johnson only to see Haddin take another splendid catch behind the wickets.
Brief scores:
Australia - 530 (Smith 192, Shami 4-138)
India - 462/8 (Kohli 169, Rahane 147, Harris 4-69)
Status - India trial by 68 runs.
