MELBOURNE : A 170-run stand between century-maker Cheteshwar Pujara and captain Virat Kohli put India in a dominant position in the third Test Thursday as Australia's openers survived half a dozen nervy overs before the close.
Dogged Pujara stroked 106 and Kohli 82 before they both fell soon after lunch on what until then had been a lifeless Melbourne pitch.
Rohit Sharma was not out 63 after notching his 10th Test half-century when Kohli called a halt to the innings late in the day at 443 for seven as India go in search of a crucial 2-1 lead in the four-Test series.
That left gave the tourists' attack six overs before stumps to target Australian openers Marcus Harris and Aaron Finch, who battled through to be eight without loss.
Earlier Pujara and Kohli had continued to build their intimidating partnership after coming together when openers Hanuma Vihari and Mayank Agarwal fell on day one.
They batted through to lunch with scarcely an alarming moment as they worked to take the match out of Australia’s reach.
But when Kohli started to take on the short ball soon after being seen by the physio for an apparent back complaint in the afternoon session, he was undone by pace spearhead Mitchell Starc.
– AFP
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