Monitoring, Dec 8 (INP) - India built a 166-run lead over Australia on the third day of ‎an absorbing opening Test in Adelaide on Saturday with danger man Cheteshwar Pujara not out 40, ‎although the late wicket of master batsman Virat Kohli gave the home team a glimmer of hope.‎

‎ At stumps, the visitors were 151-3, adding to their first innings total of 250. Ajinkya Rahane was not ‎out one, alongside Pujara who scored a gritty first innings century.‎

‎ It was looking ominous for Australia with Kohli and Pujara compiling a 71-run third-wicket ‎partnership, but spinner Nathan Lyon got a massive breakthrough when he snared the Indian skipper ‎for 34 near the close of play.‎

‎ "I think it’s slightly in our favour," said Indian paceman Jasprit Bumrah.‎

‎ "The late wicket was a good thing for them and the first session tomorrow will be very important. If ‎we capitalise on that it will leave us in a very good place in this match."‎

‎ He added that Pujara was key.‎

‎ "He’s showed a lot of patience and that is the key element in Test cricket. A great knock and ‎hopefully he continues tomorrow."‎

‎ Australia were dismissed for 235 just before lunch, with Travis Head top scoring on 72 on a day hit by ‎rain delays, leaving them 15 runs adrift.‎

‎ Batting in front of his home crowd, Head said he was disappointed to not add more runs but believed ‎the game was "evenly poised".‎

‎ "It’ll be a big first hour tomorrow, if we can get a couple of wickets and put them under pressure. I ‎think the bowlers did a wonderful job to contain and continue to put pressure on them tonight."‎

 India got off to a solid start, with KL Rahul and Murali Vijay enjoying a 63-run partnership. Both failed ‎to fire in the first innings and are battling for one opener’s spot once the injured Prithvi Shaw is fit ‎again.‎

‎On a difficult batting track, Josh Hazlewood bowled four straight maidens to keep them contained ‎before they began finding their range.‎

‎Rahul hit a big six off Pat Cummins as the pair grew in confidence and they were racing along before ‎Mitchell Starc enticed Vijay into nicking an attempted drive to Peter Handscomb in the slips and he was ‎out for 18.‎

‎ Rahul played some audacious strokes before a loose shot to a Josh Hazlewood ball found a big edge ‎and he was caught behind for 44 by Tim Paine.‎

‎ The unflappable Pujara crucially survived two decisions by the umpire giving him out, with both ‎reversed on review in a cruel blow to Australia.‎

‎ In the first, he was initially dismissed caught behind off Lyon on eight, and in the second was ‎adjudged out lbw, also to Lyon, on 17.‎

‎ The prolific Kohli, who emerged to boos from a section of the crowd, shunned his trademark ‎flamboyance to grind out runs before jabbing at a short ball from Lyon and Aaron Finch took an easy ‎catch.‎

‎On the way, he reached another milestone, joining a select few Indians -- including Sachin Tendulkar ‎and Rahul Dravid -- to score 1,000 Test runs in Australia.‎

‎Earlier, Australia added just 44 runs to their overnight 191-7 with Head’s dismissal signalling a quick ‎end, with the final wicket falling next ball.‎

‎After two days of stifling hot weather, play began 45 minutes late in gloomy conditions, with the ‎Adelaide Oval lights on.‎

‎It only lasted 3.4 overs before the drizzle began again and the umpires called them off after Starc was ‎caught behind for 15 by Rishabh Pant, getting an edge to a Bumrah delivery.‎

‎Play resumed after an hour with Lyon accompanying Head, who looked on track to better his ‎previous best Test score against Pakistan in October before prodding at a Mohammed Shami ball.‎

‎Hazlewood padded up but was gone for a golden duck, again to the Shami-Pant combination, leaving ‎Lyon unbeaten on 24.‎

‎ India, Ravichandran Ashwin finished with 3-57 and Bumrah had 3-47.‎

Inp/khan