3rd Test: Day 3 Highlights: Bumrah's career-best haul puts India in commanding position against Australia

3rd Test: Day 3 Highlights: Bumrahs career-best haul puts India in commanding position against Oz

Melbourne, December 28: Jasprit Bumrah shined with a superb six-wicket haul as India strengthened their grip on the third Test, despite Pat Cummins's fiery spell in the second innings gave Australia a glimmer of hope on the third day of the Boxing Day Test here in Melbourne on Friday (December 28).

Bumrah finished with a career-best haul of 6-33 to restrict Australia for 151 in a dominant display of bowling. Overall, 15 wickets perished in the course of the day's play with India comfortably seated in the driver's seat. The visitors would also hope that the rain predictions for the remaining two days don't dent their aspirations of taking a 2-1 lead.

India Vs Australia, Day 3: As it happened

Bumrah became the first Asian bowler to take a five-for in each of Australia, England and South Africa in the same calendar year before Virat Kohli opted not to enforce the follow-on.

With Australia's backs against the wall, Cummins (4-10) led a fightback thanks to a devastating spell of bowling that yielded four wickets in just eight balls - a previously dull surface suddenly coming to life.

At the end of the day's play, India were 54/5 with Mayank Agarwal (28*) and Rishabh Pant (6*) set to resume innings on day four.

Here's how the day's play panned out:

1st Session: Ishant starts the proceedings

Indian bowlers rattled Australia's top-order as the visitors completely dominated the opening session with their bowling. The Indians picked up four wickets in the pre-lunch session, with the hosts losing their fourth wicket on the final delivery of the session.

Ishant Sharma started the first session on a positive note for the Indians after once again getting rid of Aaron Finch. Debutant Mayank Agarwal took a brilliant catch at short mid-wicket to end the Aussie opener's innings for 8.

Finch's opening partner Marcus Harris - who was looking in good touch - played a reckless pull off Jasprit Bumrah to become India's second victim of the day. Harris was looking settled and even hitting boundaries at regular intervals to punish loose deliveries. Harris was caught at fine leg boundary for 22.

Usman Khawaja was the third Aussie wicket to perish as he was removed by spinner Ravindra Jadeja in the latter's second over of the day. Khawaja had added 21 runs to his account before Agarwal took a sharp catch at forward short-leg. It was Jadeja's first wicket on the Australian soil.

Shaun Marsh and Travis Head then looked to steady the Australian ship after top-three were back into the pavilion. It seemed that the hosts would go for the lunch for the loss of three wickets but Bumrah produced another beauty to trap Marsh (19) in front of the stumps on the final delivery of the morning session to help India dominate the opening session. Bumrah got his second success of the inning and Australia were 89/4.

2nd Session: Shami completes 100 Tests overseas

The visitors continued their intensity and bossed the mid-session as well as they picked up wickets at regular intervals. By the end of the second session, Australia were reduced to 145/7 in 63 overs. India grabbed 3 wickets in 30 overs bowled.

Bumrah started the proceedings for India in the second session by sending Travis Head back to the pavilion for 20 by ripping through his defence. The hosts had just added three runs to their total as half of their side was back into the pavilion.

Mitchell Marsh - who was included in the side in place of Peter Handscomb - too couldn't make a difference as he was dismissed by Jadeja for 9. Marsh edged a delivery from Jadeja and Ajinkya Rahane took a sharp catch at first slip.

Pat Cummins (17) was the next batsman in line to get dismissed as he became a victim of Mohammed Shami. Shami cleaned up Cummins to complete his 100 wickets outside India and became tenth Indian to enter the elite club.

3rd Session: Bumrah wraps up the tail

Bumrah cleaned up the Australian tail after sending the opposition captain Tim Paine for 22. Paine was caught behind by Pant as the latter created an Indian record. The 21-year-old wicketkeeper has taken 18 catches so far in this series to create an Indian record by surpassing Syed Kirmani and MS Dhoni's joint-record.

Bumrah didn't wait too long as he removed Nathan Lyon (0) and Josh Hazlewood (0) in a single over to wrap up Australia's first innings for 151. The pacer therefore produced his career's best figures (6-33) by claiming his first six-for. It was a combined bowling effort from the Indians as their bowlers kept things tight for the hosts from the start of the day's play.

It was pleasing to see Indian bowlers pick up 10 wickets within 67 overs. Indian bowlers have picked up 244 wickets, most ever, in 14 Tests in a year. The previous best was 237 when Indian bowlers grabbed 237 wickets (17 Tests) in the year 1979.

The hosts trailed by 292 runs and 92 short of the follow-on total but Indian captain decided to go against it.

Fiery spell from Pat Cummins:

Indian openers Hanuma Vihari and Mayank Agarwal started India's second innings and looked to tire the Australians further and extend visitors' lead. But Vihari's stay at the crease couldn't last long as his dismissal in things was almost a repeat of his departure in the first innings.

The Andhra batsman edged the short-pitched delivery from Pat Cummins and the ball landed in the hands of Usman Khawaja at gully. Vihari, who opened for the first time, scored just 13 to his account in the second innings.

Cummins then ran through India's top-order as he picked up three more wickets in quick succession by dismissing Cheteshwar Pujara and Virat Kohli for duck and later removed Ajinkya Rahane for 1.

Pujara - the centurion from first innings - and Kohli - who made a composed 82 in the previous innings - were both out caught at leg gully while attempting to flick Cummins down the leg side. Rahane's stay at the crease didn't last long as he nicked the right-arm pacer and Paine caught him behind the stumps. India lost their first three wickets for 28 while Rahane was dismissed when the scoreboard read 32.

Rohit Sharma, who remained unbeaten in the first innings, was dismissed for 8 in the second innings as India were five down.

Later, debutant Mayank Agarwal (28*) and Rishabh Pant (6*) ensured India do not suffer any more jolts as India ended the day's play at 54/5.

India meanwhile swelled their lead to 346 runs and would be aiming to extend it past 400 before declaring the innings. The hosts would be aiming to finish the visitors' innings as soon as possible.