India batsmen make hay on second day

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The sporting declaration gave the Indian quicks a seven-over crack to try and strengthen the team's hold on the Test, but Marcus Harris and Aaron Finch survived some good bowling to go to stumps on Thursday, 27 December, at 8/0.

Resuming the second day at 215/2, India's batsman always looked comfortable on a Melbourne Cricket Ground surface that held few surprises.

Pujara, overnight on 68, looked rock-solid as did Kohli, who began the day three short of fifty. He brought up the milestone with a lovely flick to deep mid-wicket off Pat Cummins.

Kohli played some fantastic shots, including a cracking straight drive off Josh Hazlewood, but didn't look his fluent best. He had quite a few plays and misses, and an edge that ran away to the third man fence.

But Pujara was in supreme touch, and brought up his century by coming down the track to Nathan Lyon and driving him straight past.

The duo played out the first session unscathed, but things started happening for Australia in the second. Kohli seemed to have some discomfort with his lower back and played some uncharacteristically rash shots. He was finally dismissed when he played an upper cut off Mitchell Starc straight down third man's throat to fall for 82.

Soon after, Pujara was bowled by a Cummins delivery that kept low to clip his off stump. The pitch had begun showing signs of wear, but Ajinkya Rahane and Rohit Sharma held things together with a 62-run stand before Rahane too perished to one that kept unexpectedly low, this time from Lyon, to fall for 34.

Rishabh Pant and Rohit Sharma took charge with a 76-run partnership, the duo looking to become more aggressive once the team passed the 400-mark.

Australia will rue their lapses in the field, which gave both batsmen early reprieves, Lyon the unfortunate bowler. First, substitute fielder Peter Siddle made a mess of a straightforward chance to catch Sharma off Lyon after the batsman top-edged a sweep on 16. Then, Pant toe-ended a lofted hit straight to long on, where Cummins let it slip.

Pant was finally dismissed for 39 with Starc bouncing him out. Ravindra Jadeja struck one boundary before fending awkwardly at a Hazlewood bouncer to glove a catch to the wicket-keeper, and Kohli decided the time was right to declare.

Ishant Sharma and Jasprit Bumrah caused some trouble with the new ball, even as the batting-friendly wicket continued to show signs of wear. Finch and Harris were beaten a few times but battled through. Jadeja too bowled an over, which Finch managed to play out well. The openers will have their task cut out as will the remainder of the batting line-up.