India races to 336-3 at tea chasing Australia's 530
Virat Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane brought up defiant centuries in an unbeaten 189-run partnership to lead India to 336-3 at tea, closing on Australia’s first-innings target of 530 on day three of the third test on Sunday.
Rahane was the first to bring up his century, slashing a four over gully and was 111 not out at the break. Kohli followed soon after with a four through cover and was unbeaten on 104.
Ryan Harris (2-59) gave Australia a perfect start by dismissing Cheteshwar Pujara for his overnight score of 25 off the second ball of the day, thanks to an athletic, one-handed catch by wicketkeeper Brad Haddin. Shane Watson (1-56) soon after claimed opener Murali Vijay for 68.
India started the day at 108-1 after losing Shikhar Dhawan to a Steven Smith catch at third slip off Harris on Saturday. Smith earlier fell just eight runs short of a double century to help lead Australia to its daunting total. It was the Australia captain’s third century of the series and seventh of his test career. On the way he also passed hard-hitting opener David Warner as Australia’s highest test scorer of 2014 with 1,132 runs.
Australia can clinch the four-test series and reclaim the Border-Gavaskar trophy with a win or draw in Melbourne after a 48-run win in the first test and a four-wicket victory last week in the second test at Brisbane.
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