3rd Test: Rahul's Half-Century Guides India to 167/6 at Lunch on Day 4

KL Rahul's 84 took India to 167/6 at lunch on Day 4 of the third Test against Australia at the Gabba on Tuesday. Visitors are still behind Australia by 278 runs.

The opening session of the day was a shared contest between the two sides. Australia bagged two crucial wickets of Rohit Sharma (10) and Rahul (84) while India added 116 runs to the scoreboard in the extended opening session which saw 32 overs being bowled despite a brief rain interruption.

For India, Ravindra Jadeja and Nitish Kumar Reddy were unbeaten at 41 and 7 respectively as the team required 79 runs to avoid a follow-on.

It was not an ideal beginning for Australia as Steve Smith dropped Rahul on the very first ball of the day at the second slip off Pat Cummins. By that time, Rahul was batting at 33 and went on to score 51 more runs into his tally before Smith finally redeemed himself with a catch at first slip off Nathan Lyon.

Resuming from an overnight score of 51/4, India needed someone to come up and show resilience. Rahul came up to the challenge and seemed a class apart from his mates. The Aussies put an attacking field with three slips and a gully, leaving gaps in the covers and point region, tempting Rahul to play his trademark drives. However, he resisted the temptation and would get to the ball only when bowled firmly into his zone to drive. He achieved his second fifty of the series.

Rahul showed maturity also in his defense by using soft hands and playing close to the body. Cummins tested him on deliveries outside the off-stump, but Rahul smartly left the ball alone or tucked his bat behind the pads.

Meanwhile, skipper Rohit (10) will regret missing another opportunity to make a meaningful contribution in this series. Rohit looked quite composed at the outset, showing patience and waiting for the right deliveries to attack. However, he fell prey to a recurring issue - an indecisive poke without moving his feet. Cummins exploited this weakness with a delivery close to off-stump, and Alex Carey completed the catch behind the stumps.

The absence of Josh Hazlewood, who left the field after an uncomfortable opening over, reduced the sting of the Australian bowling attack. Cricket Australia later clarified that Hazlewood, who had missed the second Test in Adelaide due to a side strain, will undergo scans to assess a potential calf injury.

Brief scores: India 167/6 (KL Rahul 84, Ravindra Jadeja 41 not out; Pat Cummins 2-41) trailing Australia 445 (Travis Head 152, Steve Smith 101; Jasprit Bumrah 6-76) by 278 runs.