India fight back as second Test against Australia remains in the balance

India saw their opponents reply with 276 but reached a creditable 213 for four in their second for a lead of 126 heading into day four

Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane

Cheteshwar Pujara led the fightback as a battling India ensured the second Test against Australia remained in the balance.

Number three Pujara finished the day unbeaten on 79 as the hosts closed on 213-4 and a lead of 126 heading into day four in Bangalore after the tourists had earlier lost four wickets for 39 to post 276 in their first innings.

Hazlewood bowled Abhinav Mukund in the 11th over of the Indian innings but his opening partner Lokesh Rahul advanced to a half-century before he was brilliantly caught by Steven Smith at slip off Steve O'Keefe as India lost a second wicket just before erasing their 87-run first-innings deficit.

Hazlewood then removed captain Virat Kohli for just 15 - lbw after a long DRS process to a ball that kept low and hit his pad and the toe of his bat almost simultaneously.

The paceman took a third wicket, Jadeja bowled for two, but Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane rebuilt with an unbroken partnership of 93.

Pujara had earlier escaped in successive Lyon overs when one outside edge rebounded off keeper Wade's pad and another was dropped by a diving Smith.

Rahane (40 not out) was fortunate to see a glove down the leg side loop just out of catching range, though the leaping David Warner got his fingers to it.

An attempt to get drinks and fresh gloves on before the last scheduled over was waved away by umpire Richard Illingworth, resulting in an extra Hazlewood over which saw Pujara edge just wide of slip for four, but India survived.