India were within touching distance of a series win as day three at Dharamsala ended with the hosts at 19/0, just 87 runs behind Australia’s target of 106.

The 96-run seventh wicket stand betweeen Ravindra Jadeja (63) and Wriddhiman Saha (31) set the tone for India during the day’s play. With a handy lead of 32, India effected three strikes even before Australia could take the lead. After Umesh Yadav set the tone, Ravichandran Ashwin and Jadeja wiped out the tail towards the closing stages of the day’s play. India got off to a solid start with KL Rahul getting three boundaries in the first over.

Saha and Jadeja didn’t endure the best of starts and the latter had to get a caught behind decision overturned through a review. Pat Cummins was fast, hostile and intimidating. After seeing out the first hour of the day’s play, Saha and Jadeja got the scoreboard ticking. Jadeja didn’t miss a chance to use the long handle and Saha was happy to graft his way through a fighting but a crucial 31.

Jadeja departed after scoring his sixth fifty of the season, dragging the ball back onto his stumps. Saha, though, could nothing but reluctantly fend at a snorter from Cummins. A brilliant delivery was made better by Steve Smith executing a brilliant one-hander, flinging his body at the ball full stretch. Australia made easy work of the Indian tail with Nathan Lyon capping off yet another five-wicket haul.

Karun Nair dropped yet another regulation take at slip, but the manner in which Umesh and Bhuvneshwar Kumar went about with their task, it hardly mattered. The India new-ball bowlers were disciplined, moved the ball both ways and surprisingly, gave the Australians plenty to worry about with the short ball.

Smith’s wicket completely swung the momentum in India’s favour. The Australia captain was unfortunate to drag the ball onto the stumps. India had a brief scare through Glenn Maxwell’s (45) brave counter-attack. There was no coming back in the contest after the big-hitter fell to Ashwin. Matthew Wade laboured with the tail but the Ashwin-Jadeja spin axis, along with Umesh Yadav, were operating at the peak of their powers.

Brief score:

  • Australia 300 & 137 (Glenn Maxwell 45; Ravindra Jadeja 3/24, Ravichandran Ashwin 3/29, Umesh Yadav 3/29) lead India 332 (Ravindra Jadeja 63, KL Rahul 60; Nathan Lyon 5/92, Pat Cummins 3/94) & 19/0 (KL Rahul 13 not out) by 86 runs.