Sydney Test: Australia Leads By 197 After India Bowled Out For 244 (Report)

Australia took charge of the third Test on the third day at the Sydney Cricket Ground as they first secured a 94-run lead in the first innings by bowling out India for 244 runs and then going to stump

But post-lunch, they succumbed to the new ball as the Aussie pace duo Josh Hazlewood and Cummins kept an immaculate line and length.

Pace bowler Pat Cummins was the wrecker-in-chief taking four for 29. He was the first to get under India's skin as he hit Pant on his elbow. The left-handed wicketkeeper-batsman seemed to have got rattled after that and went for an expansive drive off Hazlewood only to edge it to first slip.

Pujara was the next to fall, in the next over, as he nicked a back-of-the-length delivery from Cummins to wicketkeeper Tim Paine. The fall of Pujara and Pant saw the team crumble, with Ashwin and Jasprit Bumrah both run-out, joining Hanuma Vihari who suffered the same fate earlier in the day.

Pujara's slowest 50s
173 balls vs SA Joburg 2018
174 balls vs Aus Sydney 2021

In both innings he was dismissed exactly for the score of 50, both times caught by WK.#AUSvIND

— Deepu Narayanan (@deeputalks) January 9, 2021

The last wicket between Ravindra Jadeja (28 not out) and Mohammed Siraj added 28 runs with Jadeja doing the bulk of the scoring. Jadeja was hit on his left thumb from a Mitchell Starc delivery. 

First innings heroes Marnus Labuschagne and Steve Smith steered Australia to a commanding 197-run lead. They came to the crease after Will Pucovski and David Warner fell early, pushing the team to 103 for two at stumps. 

Steve Smith was unbeaten on 29 while Marnus Labuschagne was 47 not out at the draw of stumps.

Full Scorecard: India vs Australia