NEW DELHI: Australia lost their last six wickets for just 11 runs to concede much of their advantage on Day 2 of the third Test against India in Indore on Thursday.
Having bundled out India for 109 on Day 1, Australia looked in command at 186/4 before their middle and lower order caved in and they were eventually all out for 197.
Having conceded a handy lead of 88, India were 13/0 at lunch and will need to bat out of their skin to set Australia a decent target in the spin-dominated contest.
The pace-spin combination of Umesh Yadav and R Ashwin ran through the Australian batting line-up as India clawed their way back.
Ashwin and Yadav took three wickets each to script India's fightback after a forgettable opening day when the hosts were all out for 109. Considering the conditions, Australia have done well to take a crucial 88-run first innings lead.
Rohit Sharma (5) and Shubman (4) Gill took India to 13 for no loss in four overs at lunch, reducing the deficit to 75 runs.
Though India did not pick up any wicket in the first hour, they did not allow Peter Handscomb (19 off 98) and Cameron Green (21 off 57) easy runs with Mohammed Siraj and Ravindra Jadeja keeping things tight.
As it has been the case throughout the series, the wickets came in a heap after India broke the resistance of Handscomb, whose ultra defensive innings came to end with an inside edge flying to Shreyas Iyer at short-leg off Aswhin.
Ashwin surprisingly had to wait for almost an hour to get his first over of the day and when he did, the wily operator made the ball talk.
He got also rid of Alex Carey (3) and Nathan Lyon (5) to end with figures of three for 44 in 20.3 overs.
Umesh, who targeted the stumps successfully, trapped Green in front by getting one to straighten slightly off middle-stump in his very first over.
He cleaned up the tail by bowling fast and straight from round the wicket, leaving Mitchell Starc (1) and Toddy Murphy clueless (0).
Compared to the opening day, the ball did not do too much in the first hour with Handscomb and Green focussed on playing the forward defence.
It was only in the 10th over of the day that Green decided to step out and hit Jadeja over mid-on for a boundary.
Siraj opened the bowling with two short mid-wickets in place. The plan was to bowl straight and stem the flow of runs.
(With PTI inputs)
