India seized momentum on day three of the second Test, rattling Australia’s confidence then reaching 213-4 at stumps to claim a 126-run lead in Bangalore. The top-ranked side lived up to their mantle on what is traditionally the “moving day” of any Test, scoring freely on a treacherous pitch that the tourists struggled to read in their first innings.

Half-centuries from Lokesh Rahul and Cheteshwar Pujara – who is 79 not out after being given lives on three and four – have already ensured Australia will need to earn a 2-0 lead in the four-Test series. The highest and only successful run-chase by a visiting Test side at a M. Chinnaswamy Stadium came in 1998 when Australia hauled in a target of 194 runs.

Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane, whose unbeaten 93-run stand is already the highest partnership of the series, are both capable of pushing their side’s lead well beyond 200. A stunning slips catch from Steve Smith and yet another failure from Virat Kohli were among the headline acts on day three.

Kohli unsuccessfully reviewed his lbw dismissal on 15. Third umpire Richard Kettleborough agonised over every angle of Josh Hazlewood’s delivery before deciding there was no “conclusive evidence” that the ball clipped bat before pad. Kohli momentarily refused to budge after being given his marching orders for a second time, seemingly unable to process Kettleborough’s verdict.

India’s skipper eventually trudged off, shaking his head in disbelief. Kohli waved his bat and cut a figure of pure fury as he left the field. As was the case on day two, Kohli had swapped barbs with counterpart Smith. “The skipper’s angry again,” Smith quipped, shortly before Kohli left the crease. Kohli, who roused an impressive Indian fightback on day two with his words, has contributed just 40 runs in the series so far.

Hazlewood failed to exhibit his trademark control but fired out Kohli, opener Abhinav Mukund and Ravindra Jadeja, who was promoted to No5. Smith dropped a low slips catch when Pujara was on four, but produced one of his greatest ever moments in the field to remove Rahul. The skipper flung himself to the right and the ball somehow stuck in his outstretched right hand, prompting Matthew Hayden to label him “Superman” in the commentary box.

Coach Darren Lehmann, who debuted in the 1998 match between the sides, noted last month that “everything’s going to have to go right” for Australia to trump India. The tourists’ batting, bowling and fielding were all subpar on Monday, when they failed to make the most of a first-innings lead of 87 runs. Australia resumed at 237-6 and were rolled for 276, suffering a collapse of 4-7 as left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja finished with six wickets.

Matthew Wade also missed a sharp chance when Pujara was on three, while David Warner dropped what would have been a remarkable leg-slip catch when Rahane was on three. Hazlewood grabbed three wickets, including the key scalp of Virat Kohli, but all of the tourists’ bowlers lacked control and leaked runs. Nathan Lyon threatened at various points but couldn’t add a single wicket to his first-innings haul of 8-50.