India vs Australia Third Test, Day Three Highlights: Virat Kohli, Lokesh Rahul Hundreds Defy India
Virat Kohli slammed his 10th hundred, fourth of the series while Lokesh Rahul reached his maiden ton as India reached 342/5 vs Australia at stumps on Day 3. The hosts still lead by 230 runs. Catch highlights here.
Australia's bowlers fought hard despite hundreds from Kohli and Rahul and a valiant 53 from Rohit Sharma. Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon struck important blows while Shane Watson removed Rahane and Raina in successive balls. Can Kohli come back on Day 4 and bat India to safety?  Catch all the highlighys here. (Scorecard | Highlights)
12:39 PM IST: Sourav Ganguly says Lokesh Rahul is one for the future but has warned against looking too far ahead.
12:31 PM IST: Not one Aussie was seen sledging Kohli today and Sanjay Manjrekar feels the Australians have given up on him and realised he is too good. Kohli has broken several records today, including Dravid's total in a series in Australia. The Wall was of course as gracious as ever and said "Well-deserved."
12:17 PM IST: Stumps! India are 342/5, trailing Australia by 230 runs. Another day of Test cricket and another 100 for Kohli. He remains unbeaten on 140 and has Saha for company on 14 not out.
12:12 PM IST: Steven Smith to bowl the last over of the day. Kohli takes a single to put Saha on strike.
11:47 AM IST: Saha has shown good commitment to hang around with Kohli. The pitch is still not doing much for the bowlers but the Aussies have kept the pressure on the tourists.
11:37 AM IST: Kohli has now overtaken Rahul Dravid as the highest scorer in a series in Australia. Dravid took 8 innings to score 619 runs in 2003-04 while Kohli took 7 to reach 621.
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11:34 AM IST: Some of Australia's legends were not happy with Kohli's captaincy but he has come out and whacked another hundred. He is learning his tricks as skipper but Kohli the batsman is firmly on his way to greatness. He now has three hundreds in his first three innings as captain.
11:30 AM IST: 300 up for India as Kohli and Saha try to avoid the follow-on. There's still some distance to go before that however.
11:18 AM IST: What a horror of a comeback for Suresh Raina. A first-ball duck after getting an opportunity in the Test side for the first time since August 2012. But he would be hoping to make amends in the second innings.
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11:12 AM IST: Shane Watson has picked up two wickets in two balls. First Rahane and then Raina. India are 292/5 and trail by 280 runs. Saha came in and blocked to deny Watson a hat-trick Suddenly, the threat of a follow-on has become very real.
OFFICIAL CROWD Day 3 #AUSvIND 28,167. Thanks for your support, you all look fantastic in pink #loveourSCG http://t.co/xve6bOIQxY
- Sydney Cricket Grnd (@scg) January 8, 2015
10:54 AM IST: HUNDRED for VIRAT KOHLI! 10th of his career and fourth of the series. The crowd gets up to cheer as does Anushka Sharma. What a knock this has been.
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10:42 AM IST: Kohli has been a major hit after the poor time he had in England. What a turnaround this has been.
10:25 AM IST: FOUR! Straight and on the pads and Kohli picks it off. He has been in terrific form this series.
10:16 AM IST: Soon after Rahul's exit, Kohli showed he was not going to slow down and almost on cue, hit Harris for three boundaries in the over. Top shots all of them. India reach 250/3.
10:12 AM IST: WICKET! Rahul's sensational innings has come to an end. He tried to pull Starc but the top edged was safely caught by the bowler. The in-form Rahane walks in to join Kohli in the middle.
9:41 AM IST: Hundred for Lokesh Rahul and he brings it up with a hundred. What a moment this is for him after failing in his first Test match. India take tea on 234/2 and trail Australia by 338 runs.
Rahul made Starc work for that one! LIVE: http://t.co/gf5oOkWupd #AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/ifhPLrTyIW
- cricket.com.au (@CricketAus) January 8, 2015
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9:36 AM IST: And soon after being dropped, Kohli decides to rub it in with a smart cover drive, piercing the field to take a boundary off Harris. This is batsmanship of the highest quality from India's skipper.
9:31 AM IST: DROPPED! Steve Smith has let go of his second catch of the day and Kohli survives this time.This could be a costly miss for the Aussies.
9:16 AM IST: Fifty for Kohli, his 11th in Test cricket and second of the series. He has three hundreds to go with those. India are looking very comfortable now.
9:10 AM IST: SIX! Short from Lyon and Rahul hammers that into the stands. And Kohli has enjoyed that for sure, laughing and patting Rahul's back. The 22-year-old rookie is in the 90s.
9:06 AM IST: Rahul and Kohli are now dealing in boundaries. While one inches close to a hundred, the other is closing in on another fifty. This has been India's session so far - top class batting from the Indians
8:56 AM IST: FOUR! Rahul plays Lyon against the turn and moves into the 80s. He has played some breathtaking shots after the break and this drive towards deep cover was one of them. India 179/2.
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8:54 AM IST: FOUR! Not great bowling by Hazlewood on a slow surface, pitching it wide outside off stump and Kohli punishes it adequately. He moves into the 40s as India reach 175/2.
8:50 AM IST: India are going along nicely at this stage. Both Rahul and Kohli are looking confident and assured at the crease. Smith has bowled poorly and Rahul has capitalised on the loose balls.
8:35 AM IST: There has been a marked change in India's attitude after lunch. They scored 51 in the first session but came back to score 43 in less than an hour after the break. Rahul is blossoming in Kohli's company.
8:32 AM IST: FOUR! Terrific cover drive from Kohli as Hazlewood pitches up slightly. India are moving along nicely in the second session. India 165/2.
8:28 AM IST: Change in the attack. Smith has brought himself on. FOUR! Rahul pulls a short-delivery from the Aussie captain. India 159/2.
8:21 AM IST: FOUR! FOUR! Kohli has taken the attack to Lyon, slamming him for two boundaries on the trot. Another start for the Indian captain he reaches the 30s. Can he get another big score here? It is important for India that he does exactly that.
8:16 AM IST: Rahul has lived a charmed life today. Smith dropped a catch - a rarity in itself but not long before that, he was upset with a bad throw from one of his fielders that allowed Rahul to get back home after attempting a risky single. Aussie coach Darren Lehmann had talked about upping the fielding standards but clearly there is still a lot of work to be done.
The skipper didn't seem too happy after that missed run out chance. LIVE: http://t.co/gf5oOkWupd #AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/TKjo7rEHnq
- cricket.com.au (@CricketAus) January 8, 2015
8:07 AM IST: FOUR! Kohli sweeps Lyon - great looking shot. The Indian captain has been in brilliant form this series and is looking really good here at the SCG. India are 142/2 and still a long way off the Aussie total.
7:50 AM IST: If the first session was all about defending, the second could be more about scoring runs quickly. That is exactly what Rahul has tried to do after lunch, playing a couple of attractive shots. He will only blossom in the company of Kohli, who himself is one of the most aggressive batsmen in world cricket.
7:07 AM IST: Lunch has been taken with India 122/2, still trailing Australia by 450 runs on Day 3.
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7:00 AM IST: Fifty for Rahul, his first in Test cricket. This has been a great comeback from that nightmarish debut at the MCG. He must be pretty pleased with himself but the celebrations are pretty subdued.
6:58 AM IST: DROPPED! Steve Smith grasses an easy chance offered by Rahul but he may have been distracted by the sun or the spider cam wire. We don't know what yet.
Word from Spidercam is that the ball did not hit the camera or the wires. India 2/119 #PinkTest #AUSvIND #WWOS pic.twitter.com/cS65T3sW6j
- Wide World of Sports (@WWOS9) January 8, 2015
6:38 AM IST: Sanjay Manjrekar on air says Rohit could have driven that ball from Lyon but he had already decided to sweep and got out in the process. Rohit Sharma would be gutted to have to walk for 53.
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6:33 AM IST: FOUR! Kohli picks up the slower ball from Starc early and slams it to the fence. India have been defensive in the first hour but with Kohli in the middle, the Aussies could be worried about the scoring rate picking up. India 108/2
6:21 AM IST: Kohli drives Lyon down the ground for a single- 500 runs in the series. What a time Kohli has had in Australia. However, his entry to the crease was not without drama. He was beaten first ball by Lyon and Haddin failed to collect the ball. Rahul took off from the non-striker's end but was sent back by Kohli - Rahul dropped his bat and somehow made it to the crease.
An eventful first ball to Kohli! LIVE: http://t.co/gf5oOkWupd #AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/LHSefnQsH7
- cricket.com.au (@CricketAus) January 8, 2015
6:19 AM IST: WICKET! That's the end of Rohit Sharma. He drags one on to his stumps from Nathan Lyon after a 97-run stand for the second wicket. That brings Kohli to the crease with Rahul.
6:15 AM IST: Fifty for Rohit Sharma, his second in Test cricket. That was a well-deserved one and he brings it up with a boundary, driving Harris through extra cover.
6:09 AM IST: Rahul and Rohit have been solid so far this morning. They have listened to Gavaskar's oft repeated words: 'Give the first hour to bowlers' very seriously. But will they pay heed to Ganguly and score more freely now? The Aussies have certainly not made it easy.
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6:00 AM IST: Australia have done really well. They have bowled tightly and have got fielders in short catching positions. This has discouraged the Indians from scoring freely. Both Rahul and Rohit are in the 40s and well settled. But their job is far from over. It's a long day ahead for them.
5:53 AM IST: Australia have been miserly this morning but a rare loose ball from Watson and FOUR! Rahul is not going to miss out on those. It was short and wide and Rahul cuts it behind point. Good sign that. Shows India are willing to grind but they won't miss out on any run scoring opportunity. India are 89/1.
5:44 AM IST: India have done well to be watchful today but Ganguly feels Rahul and Rohit also need to get a move on - only 84 runs have come with the 36th over underway. Australia's plans of boring cricket. Steve Smith has certainly executed his plans well.
5:35 AM IST: First bowling change of the day after eight overs. Shane Watson has replaced Harris. Ganguly reiterates the importance of the first two hours. Can Rahul and Rohit stay put on this dry pitch?
5:28 AM IST: Things happening already in the middle. Rohit has looked streaky again but has moved on to 46, nearing his second fifty. Ryan Harris has bowled two big no balls but experts say the pitch will remain as flat as it has been over the last two days. India's overnight batsmen need to survive the first hour and then capitalise.
5:23 AM IST: The Sydney Test is not just about cricket since Glenn McGrath lost his wife to cancer a few years ago. From Brett Lee to Shane Warne to Michael Clarke, everyone is in pink today.
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5:20 AM IST: This has been a probing start by Starc and Harris. The first 20 minutes have been extremely challenging but like Watson and Smith did against India last morning, can Rahul and Rohit do vs Australia today? Survive and score. India 78/1.
5:12 AM IST: Day 3 of the SCG Test is the Jane McGrath Day. There is pink all around the ground - the stumps, the logos on the field, the crowd, the blazers and the logos on the Aussie players' shirts. It's a riot of pink out there.
#JaneMcGrathDay #PinkTest @WWOS9 @scg pic.twitter.com/OtqNeCztWo
- cricket.com.au (@CricketAus) January 7, 2015
#PinkTest @scg #JaneMcGrathDay pic.twitter.com/pRiqPvAIOn
- cricket.com.au (@CricketAus) January 7, 2015
5:06 AM IST: FOUR! Starc angles it across and Rahul has timed it nicely along gully. First runs of the day for Rahul and India.
5:05 AM IST: Starc will bowl the second over of the day and it will be a very impressive Rahul on strike. What's in store for the young man today? He looked very promising on Day 2
5:02 AM IST: Rohit Sharma faces up to Ryan Harris for the first over of the day and it's a maiden. India are 71/1 after 26 overs. Australia lead by 501 runs.
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Rohit (40*) and Rahul (31*) form an unlikely pair to champion India's cause in the Sydney Test. One is an established batsman who is desperate to score big in the series while the other is a youngster who is determined to bury memories of a horrid debut, in what is only his second Test. (Also read: Rohit and Rahul can help India's cause, says Gavaskar)
A day earlier - on Wednesday, Australia scored heavily with centuries and half-centuries coming thick and fast. While Mohammad Shami claimed five of the seven wickets to fall, the Australians showed how simple it can be to bat here as long as patience and skill is brought into play - captain Steve Smith hitting his fourth ton of the series.
What may have helped their cause is also Virat Kohli's 'hapless' captaincy. Aussie greats Michael Clarke and Ian Chappell expressed their surprise at how the young Kohli was marshaling his men on the field. "I don't understand the impatience; one-over spells, that's not giving the bowler a chance at all," Chappell was quoted as saying by the Sydney Morning Herald. (Read more here)
Kohli though would have a shot at redemption when he steps out to bat. The in-form batsman may still be new to captaincy but batting has been his strength and the tour Down Under has been no different.