India vs Australia, Sydney Test, Day 2 | Smith slams 27th Test Century even as hosts lose Paine, Cummins

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Sydney, January 8: Ravindra Jadeja denied Marnus Labuschagne a well-deserved century and later ended Matthew Wade's fiery knock but Steve Smith looks determined towards his first ton of the series as Australia reach 249/5 at lunch break on day two of the third Test in Sydney on Friday (January 8).

At the stroke of lunch break, Cameron Green was dismissed for a duck by Jasprit Bumrah which made the umpires signal end of the morning session. Labuschagne made all the hard work with the bat and was looking to get to his first Test century against India but the right-handed batsman edged Jadeja's delivery - trying to cut him towards point but failed - and alert Ajinkya Rahane took a fine catch at slip cordon. Labuschagne was dismissed for 91.

Matthew Wade walked into the middle after Labuschagne and started to counter-attack but his stay was short-lived as he too was dismissed by Jadeja for 13.

But Steve Smith who started batting from his overnight score of 31* went on notching up his first half-century of the series and forged a hundred-run partnership with Labuschagne. The Australian camp must be happy with Smith finding his mojo back and the modern-day legend showed resistance to some fine display of pace bowling from Bumrah.

After his partnership with Labuschagne ended, Smith continued to do his regular stuff and kept his wicket intact. Smith is batting at 76* and his skipper Tim Paine will be walking into the middle for the second session.

Earlier on day 1, debutant Will Pucovski rode his luck and Labuschagne showed resolve as the duo hit half-centuries to put Australia in a dominating position in a rain-curtailed opening day of the Pink Test on Thursday (January 7).

At stumps, Australia's score read 166/2 in 55 overs with Labuschagne and Smith unbeaten on 67 and 31 runs respectively.

On a day when the Indian bowlers had to toil hard -- for the first time in the Test series -- 35 overs were lost due to rain. Mohammed Siraj, playing in his second Test, struck in the fourth over to hand India an early breakthrough as opener David Warner -- returning after missing two Tests due to groin injury - walked back after scoring just six runs.