Day 4 report: India fight back and avoid follow-on in Brisbane

Australia v India, third Test, Scorecard

India lost two wickets during a rain-interrupted opening session as Australia pushed hard for victory on the fourth day of the third Test in Brisbane.

Steve Smith latched onto a regulation catch off Nathan Lyon to help dismiss opener KL Rahul (84) as India reached 167/6 at lunch in reply to Australia's first innings score of 445.

All-rounder Ravindra Jadeja then, led charge of the Indian innings, putting together 77 runs off 123 deliveries before he was removed by the Australian skipper. With just a wicket in hand, Akash Deep and Jasprit Bumrah forged a crucial late stand - adding 39 runs for the 10th wicket before play was called off owing to bad lights.

Hazlewood injury casts doubt on Australia's victory push

Vital knocks from Rahul and Jadeja

With the wickets falling at regular intervals at the other end, Rahul and Jadeja offered some respite to the hosts on Day 4.

Rahul, who had stood tall for India on a rain-marred Day 3, received a life from Smith on the opening delivery of the fourth day after the Australian veteran dropped him in the cordon.

The 32-year-old went on to score his second half-century of the series - 84 off 139 deliveries. Smith eventually made up for his uncharacteristic miss when he held on to a super effort at slip from the bowling of Nathan Lyon to help dismiss the experienced right-hander prior to the lunch break.

But just as Australia looked to be running away with it, Jadeja went big in his first outing with the bat in the series. Combining alongside the lower order, the southpaw jabbed 77 off 123 deliveries, an innings composed of seven fours and one maximum.

Cummins rips into Indian batting

Australia were on the hunt for quick wickets when play resumed on the fourth day of the third Test in Brisbane on Tuesday.

Skipper Pat Cummins led from the front as he managed to get rid of his Indian counterpart early in the day, with a probing length ball just outside the off stump.

He went on to break a 53-run stand between Jadeja and Nitish Kumar Reddy later in the day by cleaning up the latter with a length ball that snuck into the top of the leg stump.

Cummins also managed to get the better of Jadeja to complete his four-wicket haul as the hosts pressed home their advantage in the crucial ICC World Test Championship contest after rain marred the first three days.

World Test Championship Standings

Australia and India are locked at 1-1 in the five-match series, with both teams still to this point in the running for a World Test Championship Final spot, to be played at Lord's in June 2025.

Day 3 Recap

Australia's quality fast bowlers ripped through India's top-order to give the hosts the upper hand after three days of the third Test in Brisbane.

Mitchell Starc (2/24), Josh Hazlewood (1/17) and skipper Pat Cummins (1/7) teamed up to leave India reeling at 51/4 in reply to Australia's total of 445 when rain and bad light forced an early close to play at the Gabba.

By stumps, India were trailing by 394, with skipper Rohit Sharma (0*) accompanying KL Rahul (33*) in the middle.

Leading by 445 runs, Australia established further advantage with the ball on Day 3, nabbing four early wickets in India's first innings.

Starc teamed up with Mitchell Marsh in the field to dismiss Yashasvi Jaiswal (4) and Shubman Gill (1), before Hazlewood got in on the act to get the big wicket of Virat Kohli for just three as India crawled to 22/3 at lunch and in desperate need of a partnership.

Cummins introduced himself to the attack with almost immediate dividends after lunch as he claimed the scalp of Rishabh Pant (9) as India's high-profile batters struggled to cope with the extra bounce in Brisbane.

Earlier, India quick Jasprit Bumrah finished with superb figures of 6/76 as the hosts lost their final three wickets for just 40 runs on a vital day at the Gabba.

Keeper Alex Carey was the last player out when he fell to Akash Deep (1/95) for 70, with fast bowler Mitchell Starc (18) also finding some quick runs on a rain-affected day in Brisbane.

Australia XI: Usman Khawaja, Nathan McSweeney, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Travis Head, Mitch Marsh, Alex Carey (wk), Pat Cummins (c), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood

India XI: Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant, Rohit Sharma (c), Ravindra Jadeja, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Akash Deep, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj