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On a track offering plenty of assistance to spinners, Australians Matthew Kuhnemann and Nathan Lyon took complete advantage and had India on the mat on Day 1 of the 3rd Test in Indore, dismissing them for a paltry 109 in the first innings.
Usman Khawaja gave Australia some impetus in their innings but not before paceman Umesh Yadav and the spin duo of Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja brought India back into the match on Day 2. Australia was dismissed in the morning session for 197, with a marginal 88 run lead.
But with the pitch a spinner's paradise, offie Nathan Lyon stood up and rallied his team back into contention.
Lyon picked his 23rd five-wicket haul in Test cricket, finishing with figures of 8 for 64 as Australia bundled India out for 163, needing 76 for victory at close of play on Day 2.
Lyon rattled India early in their second innings dismissing both openers. He first had Shubman Gill for 5.
Gill was beaten by flight while going for an ugly hoick to only end up getting castled.
He then had Rohit Sharma trapped in front of the wicket.
Lyon then took out the dangerous Ravindra Jadeja (7), before castling K S Bharat for 3.
Cheteshwar Pujara batted resolutely but fell after making 59 runs. The veteran batter's departure, with Steve Smith taking a blinder of a catch at leg slip off Lyon, ended India's resistance.
Umesh Yadav lasted just two balls, caught by Cameron Green in the deep for a duck as India's batting went down without a whimper.