Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill firm after Smith guides hosts to 338
India survived the second session without losing a wicket after a great show by Steve Smith, who scored his 27th century, which enabled Australia to score 300 plus runs for the first time in the series at Sydney Cricket Ground on Friday.
Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill are unbeaten on 11 and 14 runs respectively and India's score reads as 26/0 before the umpires called tea on second day.
The second session saw the hosts posting 338 runs in their first innings. They added 89 runs in the session and lost five wickets after resuming from 249/5.
Skipper Tim Paine, who came in to bat after Cameron Green's dismissal, failed to perform with the bat as Bumrah provide an early wicket to the side. Paine departed after scoring a single run.
Smith continued his class batting with scoring all around the park. Pat Cummins and Smith build a 23-run brief partnership in which only the latter contributed. Ravindra Jadeja removed Cummins on a duck after facing 13 balls.
Mitchell Starc and Smith then had a valuable 32-run stand for the eighth wicket. Meanwhile, Smith smashed his first century of the series.
He played a 131-run knock studded with 16 fours came to an end with a run-out. The search for a second run cost Smith his wicket as Jadeja's direct hit from square leg saw him walking back to the pavilion.
Jadeja then sent Nathan Lyon back on a duck before debutant pacer Navdeep Saini picked Starc (24) to end Australia's first innings at 338 in 105.4 overs.For India, Jadeja bagged four wickets as he returned with the figures of 4-62 while Bumrah and Saini both clinched two scalps each.
Earlier, Resuming the day from 166/2, Labuschagne and Smith added runs to their overnight partnership and helped the side to cross the 200-run mark. Spinner Ravindra Jadeja broke the 100-run stand for the third wicket as he bagged Labuschagne on 91. This is the first time that Labuschagne was dismissed between the scores of 81 and 143 in Tests.
Matthew Wade joined Smith on the crease. The former took charge on the bowlers in pursuit of quick runs. meanwhile, Smith completed his half-century and marked his comeback to the form after flop shows in the first two Tests. While trying to chip the ball over midwicket off Jadeja, Wade found Bumrah at mid-on and walked back to the pavilion after scoring 13 runs.
All-rounder Green came in to bat at number six. Smith held the end strong and kept the scoreboard moving. Green failed to open the scoring and finally Bumrah with the new ball ended his innings on a duck.
Umpires called the lunch after Green's dismissal and Australia's score reads as 249/5 in 84.5 overs. The first session also saw rain playing a spoilsport and interrupting the play two times but for the short period.
Brief Scores: India 26/0 (Rohit Sharma 11*, Shubman Gill 14*); Australia 338 (Marnus Labuschagne 91, Steve Smith 131; Ravindra Jadeja 4-62).
(ANI)
Also Read: Ind vs Aus, 3rd Test: Visitors strike as Smith stands tall in first session
