3rd Test: India avoid follow-on, reach 252/9 at stumps on rain-hit day 4

India avoided the follow-on, scoring 252 for nine when bad light forced early stumps on day 4 of the third Test against Australia here on Tuesday.

Ravindra Jadeja (77) and KL Rahul (84) led India's fightback, but once they were dismissed, Jasprit Bumrah (10) and Akash Deep (27) helped push the total forward, with a heroic last wicket stand of 39 off 54 balls.

India, however, still trail by 193 runs.

For Australia, skipper Pat Cummins was the most successful bowler, taking four wickets for 80 runs, while Mitchell Starc claimed three for 83. Nathan Lyon (1/54) also picked up a wicket on a day when Josh Hazlewood was ruled out of the match due to injury.

Jadeja kept India's hopes alive with a sturdy innings, sharing a 53-run stand with Nitish Kumar Reddy (16), who was dismissed by Cummins in the post-lunch session, which was curtailed by a rain interruption lasting just over an hour.

Earlier, opener KL Rahul played a crucial role in India's fightback, contributing a solid 84 as he and Jadeja added 67 runs.

Resuming the day at 51 for 4, India lost their captain Rohit Sharma (10) early, but Rahul stood firm at the other end, bringing up his 17th Test half-century off 85 balls.

The five-match series is currently tied at 1-1.

Brief Scores:

Australia 1st Innings: 445

India 1st innings: 252 for 9 in 74.5 overs (KL Rahul 84; Ravindra Jadeja 77; Pat Cummins 4/80).