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Adelaide Test Day 3: India hold fort; reach 223 for 3 after loss of Cheteshwar Pujara

Earlier, Australian spinner Nathan Lyon had clean bowled the in-form Cheteshwar Pujara for 73.

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Australia players celebrate after wicket of Pujara.
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Australia spinner Nathan Lyon removed Cheteshwar Pujara but India captain Virat Kohli and Ajinkye Rahane held firm to push the tourists to 223 for three at tea, on day three of the first test at Adelaide on Wednesday.

Resuming on 117-2, Pujara and Kohli added 81 runs before offspinner Lyon struck after a sustained period of pressure, bowling the number three batsman with a ball that dribbled through his legs and onto the stumps. Lyon's breakthrough was not to herald a collapse, however, though a flighty Rahane lived dangerously at times at a sun-drenched Adelaide Oval.

Also Read: India reach 223-3 at tea; fightback continues

Kohli was on 48 and Rahane on 19 at the break, the tourists still 294 runs adrift of Australia's first innings of 517-7 declared. Paceman Mitchell Johnson shook up India just before lunch by taking a wicket and striking Kohli on his helmet.

Johnson had a wayward spell with the new ball early but came back with a vengeance to break an 81-run partnership between opener Murali Vijay and Pujara. Johnson teased a nick from Vijay into the slips to remove him for 53 and welcomed Kohli with a nasty short ball that struck him flush on the badge on his helmet.

With the death of Phillip Hughes from a bouncer still fresh in all minds at Adelaide Oval, the Australians rushed forward out of concern for Kohli and Clarke consoled Johnson as the paceman walked back to his mark visibly distressed.

Related: Resolute Indian batsmen march on to fend off Australian bowling attack

Kohli was unharmed, however, and moved serenely through the middle session on a flat wicket, offering little encouragement for the pace bowlers but some turn for Lyon.

Seamer Ryan Harris, back in the side after a long recovery following knee surgery, took an early wicket by bowling opener Shikhar Dhawan who had raced to 25. Harris sent in a probing delivery that nipped back a fraction to catch an inside edge and cannoned into the stumps.

Vijay and Pujara then frustrated the bowlers for much of the morning, with the opener taking to Lyon, clubbing him for a six over his head and a four with the same shot on the next ball. Vijay whipped three runs off his pads from Harris to raise his half-century shortly before lunch. 

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