Highlights, India vs Australia, 3rd Test, Day 3, Ranchi: Hosts 360/6 At Stumps, Trail By 91 Runs

Cheteshwar Pujara led the way for the Indians with a brilliant unbeaten century as the hosts still trail by 91 runs at the end of the third day's play. Australia, on the other hand, kept pegging away at the wickets with Pat Cummins removing the India captain Virat Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane just before tea. The final session saw India lose a couple of wickets but with Pujara still there, the hosts will fancy their chances of getting close to the Australian total. (SCORECARD)

Catch all the highlights of India vs Australia straight from Ranchi, India

16:50 IST: Thanks for joining in today. We look forward to your company tomorrow for the fourth day's play.

16:44 IST: So it is stumps on Day 3. India 360 for 6, trail by 91 runs.

Play on Day 3 ends & @cheteshwar1 remains unconquered on 130 with @Wriddhipops on 18. #TeamIndia 360/6 and trail by 91 runs #IndvAus pic.twitter.com/TXKhi9GNIh

— BCCI (@BCCI) March 18, 2017

16:38 IST: Clever shot! Just paddles it round the corner. Saha picks up a boundary. O'Keefe again erring in line.

16:33 IST: Three overs to go. India would look to get through the day without losing any other wicket.

16:26 IST: 350 up for India. Cheteshwar Pujara 128*, Wriddhiman Saha 10*

16:16 IST: India have lost a couple of wickets in the final session. That might go on to hurt them at the end of the day's play.

Pat Cummins turning the game Australia's way. Good selection. In India pace through the air always a good option

— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) March 18, 2017

16:06 IST: Saha dances down the track and lofts it over mid-on for a boundary. Nothing wrong with the ball there from O'Keefe. Saha made good use of his feet.

16:03 IST: Cummins bowls it short and wide outside off-stump and Pujara gets it away for a boundary.

15:58 IST: O'Keefe comes round the wicket and Saha greets him with a boundary.

15:47 IST: So Wriddhiman Saha joins Pujara in the middle. India in need of a partnership here.

15:45 IST: Wicket! Short ball and Ashwin failed to get his gloves out of the way. Pat Cummins picks up his fourth wicket. India in a spot of bother here. Still trail by 123 runs.

A serious display of fast bowling from Cummins. Some glove through to Wade on the Ashwin dismissal: https://t.co/EgbDSOUWdB #INDvAUS pic.twitter.com/blaF38V7YJ

— cricket.com.au (@CricketAus) March 18, 2017

15:37 IST: Dropped! Cummins bowled it full and it swung late. Ashwin got the inside edge and a difficult caught and bowl chance dropped by the Australian fast bowler of his own bowling.

15:27 IST: Another juicy full toss from O'Keefe and Pujara will not miss out on that. Four runs!

15:19 IST: So a wicket-maiden from Hazlewood is followed up with a testing over by Cummins.

15:12 IST: Ravichandran Ashwin comes to the crease, replacing Karun Nair.

15:10 IST: Wicket! That was a beauty from Hazlewood. Goes wide of the crease and gets the ball to come back into the right-hander Karun Nair. Goes through his defence and the stumps are all over the place. India lose half their side.

Photo Credit: BCCI

15:00 IST: India 317 for 4 after 106 overs.

14:50 IST: Pujara has kept India in the match.

Pujara has put India into a decent position at tea. With a bit of batting to come, should back themselves to cross 451. If so,pressure on Oz

— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) March 18, 2017

14:40 IST: And the first boundary of the final session comes from the bat of Karun Nair.

14:37 IST: This is going to be a very crucial session.

14:33 IST: And we are back with the last session of Day 3! 

14:14 IST: We will be back in 15 minutes.

14:11 IST: So players go for tea. India 303 for 4. Cheteshwar Pujara 109*, Karun Nair 13*

That's Tea on Day 3! #TeamIndia are 303/4 (Pujara 109*, Nair 13*), trail Australia (451) by 148 runs #INDvAUS pic.twitter.com/jF07E1DbXZ

— BCCI (@BCCI) March 18, 2017

14:08 IST: 300 up for India. Trail Australia by 151 runs.

14:02 IST: Four! Nair rocks back and cuts it through point. O'Keefe has been guilty of bowling short at times today.

13:55 IST: Four! Played uppishly, just away from the out-stretched hands of the cover fielder. Nair off the mark with a boundary.

13:52 IST: That's it. A brilliant cover drive to bring up his 11th Test century. Pujara will be mighty pleased with his efforts. Under pressure he has got India back in this Test match. Hosts 281 for 4. This is also the first hundred by an Indian batsman in this series.

Mr. Consistent @cheteshwar1 brings up his 11th Test ton in style #INDvAUS pic.twitter.com/v82cSs1u3Y

— BCCI (@BCCI) March 18, 2017

13:47 IST: Karun Nair replaces Ajinkya Rahane in the middle.

13:45 IST: Wicket! Soft dismissal at the end. Ajinkya Rahane goes for the upper cut. Almost a after thought and gets a thin edge through to the keeper. Cummins picks up his third wicket.

Photo Credit: BCCI

13:38 IST: Four! Nice juicy full toss from O'Keefe and Pujara is a too good a player to miss out on that. Moves on to 95.

13:25 IST: Brilliant initiative by the BCCI, says Ravi Shastri on bringing the school kids to witness Test cricket throughout the home season.

Brilliant initiative by the @BCCI to get school kids to witness Test Cricket throughout the home season #INDvAUS pic.twitter.com/TMY3zj6hBU

— Ravi Shastri (@RaviShastriOfc) March 18, 2017

13:19 IST: Four! Rahane goes for the pull and gets it over the square-leg fielder. Two bounces and into the fence.

13:15 IST: 250 up for India. Pujara 85*, Ajinkya Rahane 6*

13:10 IST: Four! This time Rahane gets into the act. Steps down the track and hits it through covers. Nine runs coming from that Lyon over as players go for drinks. India 245 for 3 after 85 overs.

13:08 IST: Lyon bowls it flat outside off-stump and Pujara goes for the big expansive drive. Thick outside edge and the ball races past first slip for a boundary.

13:00 IST: So back to back boundaries for Pujara. Cuts and cuts well.

12: 57 IST: Cummins strays down the leg side and Pujara gets some bat on it. Runs away for a boundary.

12:51 IST: Ajinkya Rahane is the next man in for India.

12:49 IST: Wicket! That was full from Cummins and Kohli went for the big drive but only manages to edge it to second slip. Smith makes no mistake and India lose their third wicket.

12:43 IST: Lovely use of the feet once again by Pujara. Getting to the pitch of the ball and gets it past mid-off for a boundary.

12:39 IST: It's been a while coming. India's top order has to come to the party here at Ranchi. The top three, KL Rahul, Murali Vijay and Cheteshwar Pujara all getting fifties. Pujara is still out there in the middle. Looking good to get many more.

12:29 IST: Four more! Great use of the feet and finds the gap between cover and mid-off. That's his fifty. This is Pujara's 15th Test fifty. India 206 for 2.

FIFTY! @cheteshwar1 brings up his 15th Test 50 @Paytm #INDvAUS pic.twitter.com/v2u0OUAlXz

— BCCI (@BCCI) March 18, 2017

12:27 IST: Four! Short on the legs and that is easy pickings for Pujara. Whips it away for a boundary. Brings up India's 200.

12:22 IST: Good looking drive from Virat Kohli. The Indian captain needs some runs under his belt and no better time to do it than now.

12:12 IST: Four! Pujara starts off in fine fashion after lunch. Clips it off his legs for a boundary.

12:05 IST: Virat Kohli is the next man in for India. Vijay played a very poor shot just before lunch to throw his wicket away. It would be ideal for India not to lose any more wickets in this session.

12:02 IST: Welcome back to the post-lunch session.

11:32 IST: We will be back in 30 minutes. Do join us then.

11:31 IST: So players go for lunch. India 193 for 2.

Time for a break. #TeamIndia are 193/2 at Lunch on Day 3 of the 3rd @Paytm Test, trail Australia (451) by 258 runs #INDvAUS pic.twitter.com/yZvNYvvhcc

— BCCI (@BCCI) March 18, 2017

11:30 IST: Wicket! Just at the stroke of lunch, Vijay tries to come down the track and take the aerial route but failed to make a connection. Matthew Wade made no mistake behind the stumps. Vijay st Wade b O'Keefe 82

11:28 IST: 100-run partnership comes up between Vijay and Pujara.

11:26 IST: Short ball and Pujara gets himself in a tangle. Hits the forearm and goes up in the air. Huge appeal for a caught behind but there was no bat involved.

11:24 IST: Pujara, second time in two overs hits it straight and gets rewarded for playing in the V. Four more! Hazlewood is bowling a lot fuller in the morning.

11:21 IST: Vijay takes the aerial route and gets four for it. O'Keefe giving it a bit of air and Vijay quick to pounce on it.

11:11 IST: Vijay comes down the track and hits Lyon over the top of long-off. Four runs! Vijay growing in confidence now. Every now and then he is coming down the track to the spinners.

11:08 IST: Hazlewood comes back on and a lovely straight drive by Pujara. No need to run for that. Four runs!

11:01 IST: Vijay goes for the slog sweep and hits it well. Four runs!

10:55 IST: Both the spinners are bowling in tandem. O'Keefe and Lyon are bowling in good areas. No freebies on offer for the Indians.

10:45 IST: Another appeal. This time for bat pad. Lyon seems to be confident but Australia have no reviews left. Replays show there was some deviation, might well be the inside edge. Lucky escape for Vijay.

And a big appeal for a catch in close given not out and the Aussies are all out of reviews #INDvAUS pic.twitter.com/djhJ6ejIIQ

— cricket.com.au (@CricketAus) March 18, 2017

10:43 IST: Did it hit the pad first?

Brett Lee asking on commentary if there was some pad before bat there.

Thoughts? #INDvAUS pic.twitter.com/tmM9Ys2sUN

— cricket.com.au (@CricketAus) March 18, 2017

10:43 IST: Struck on the pads and a huge appeal for leg-before. The umpire rules it in favour of the batsman. Australia go for the review. Replays suggest the ball has hit the bat before hitting the pads. Pujara survives a scare.

10:31 IST: India have done well not to lose a wicket in the first hour of play. The hosts are 144 for 1 as the players head for a drinks break.

10:27 IST: Kohli all set to come in next.

IN WHITES, UP NEXT ! #INDvAUS pic.twitter.com/zBVkILnZzY

— BCCI (@BCCI) March 18, 2017

10:23 IST: India 141 for 1 in 54 overs. Trail By 310 runs.

10:16 IST: O'Keefe bowls it a bit short and lovely use of the crease by Pujara. Rocks back and whips it away through mid-wicket for a boundary.

10:10 IST: Murali Vijay brings up his 15th fifty in Test cricket. India strong in reply to Australia's 451.

Photo Credit: BCCI

10:04 IST: Pat Cummins comes into the attack. Bowled really well in the last one hour of the final session yesterday.

10:02 IST: Excellent ball from O'Keefe. Turn and bounce. Beats Pujara all ends up.

10:00 IST: Good short ball from Hazlewood. Vijay unable to duck under it takes it in the body.

9:50 IST: Virat Kohli is set to bat at his usual position. Kohli was seen practicing in the nets in the morning.

Virat Kohli batting in Ranchi nets this morning. Looks set to bat at fall of next wicket #INDvAUS pic.twitter.com/bWbJkTnxUC

— Andrew Ramsey (@ARamseyCricket) March 18, 2017

9:44 IST: One run coming from that Hazlewood over. India 129 for 1 in 43 overs.

9:39 IST: Six! Murali Vijay comes down the track and lofts it over long-on. Took O'Keefe by surprise but a clean strike nonetheless.

9:36 IST: O'Keefe comes in from the other end.

9:32 IST: Pujara guides it away through third man region for a single. India get their first run on Day 3

9:30 IST: Cheteshwar Pujara to take the first ball. Hazlewood to start things off for Australia.

9:19 IST: Former Australia captain Michael Clarke giving us an insight on what goes inside a production room.

WHACK WHACK BOOM! @mvj888 on the ball! #TeamIndia #INDvAUS @Paytm Test cricket pic.twitter.com/tOvPS8iK5K

— BCCI (@BCCI) March 18, 2017

Pitch on the morning of day 3 #INDvAUS pic.twitter.com/ix7MaJwTkd

— Michael Clarke (@MClarke23) March 18, 2017

9:08 IST: Sunil Gavaskar reckons batting is not going to be easy post lunch. The pitch has played really well in the first two days.

Game. Set. Match! #INDvAUS pic.twitter.com/ufV7ahUC2f

— cricket.com.au (@CricketAus) March 18, 2017

First one to enter the nets. @ajinkyarahane88 at it early #INDvAUS #TeamIndia @Paytm Test cricket pic.twitter.com/KVdmztuqO9

— BCCI (@BCCI) March 18, 2017

9:00 IST: After a very good start given by the openers, India lost KL Rahul late in the third session of Day 2. Murali Vijay is still there and is looking good. Vijay has Pujara for company. The first session will be important for both the sides.

8:57 IST: Hello and welcome to the live coverage of the third day's play between India and Australia.

Rahul and Vijay gave the hosts the perfect start after poor batting displays by the hosts in the opening two Tests. With still no further update on skipper Virat Kohli's shoulder injury, India needed to make a solid start.

Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood tested Vijay and Rahul for a brief period before tea but post the second session both Indian openers looked at ease. Rahul hit nine boundaries and once again looked good for a century before getting an unplayable delivery for Cummins.

Vijay and Pujara made sure there were no more hiccups for India and put the hosts in a strong position for an assault on the Australian score on Day 3.

Earlier, Smith's unbeaten 178 was the bedrock of the tourists' innings which also featured a maiden Test century by all-rounder Glenn Maxwell.

Australia were finally bowled out for 451 in their first innings with Ravindra Jadeja claiming his eighth five-wicket haul in his 29th match to return with figures of five for 124.