As It Happened: Australian openers Marcus Harris and Aaron Finch successfully ended the day’s play with 8/0. Australia trail India by 435 runs at stumps on Day 2. This after India opted to declare at 443/7 in the last session of the day. Cheteshwar Pujara top-scored with 106 while Virat Kohli was the second-highest scorer with 82. Pat Cummins was the pick of the bowlers for the hosts as he ended with a three-wicket haul. (Full scorecard)

Follow India-Australia live updates below -

12:35 hrs IST End of the day’s play That’s it folks, Finch and Harris survive Bumrah’s over and with that we have reached the end of day’s play today. Australia end day at 8/0 and trail India by 435 runs at stumps on Day 2. Harris is batting on 5 while Finch is batting on 3.





12:28 hrs IST Bowling change Ravindra Jadeja came to bowl in the final few minutes of the day and went through his six balls very quickly. He bowled a maiden over as well to Aaron Finch. Jasprit Bumrah will now bowl the last over of the day.





12:22 hrs IST Injury break Jasprit Bumrah bowls a bouncer from around the wicket and Marcus Harris tried to duck but the ball didn’t rise much and crashed into his helmet. The Indian players are checking up on the southpaw if he is alright and the physio is also out now.





12:18 hrs IST Good start by Indian pacers Both Ishant and Bumrah are bowling tight at the moment and they haven’t bowled a single wayward delivery so far to put the pressure of the two Aussie batsmen, who just want to see the day out today.





12:11 hrs IST Good over from Ishant Ishant concedes just two runs from the first over of the innings and he kept the batsmen under check. Jasprit Bumrah will now bowl the second over of the day as India will look to picks a wicket or two in the final few overs of the day.





12:05 hrs IST Ishant to bowl first over Ishant Sharma has the new ball in his hands and he will bowl the first over to Marcus Harris and Aaron Finch. The first ball is jaffer as it pitches and goes away from the body of Harris.





11:59 hrs IST Virat Kohli opts to declare After Ravindra Jadeja’s dismissal, Virat Kohli has come out and he asks the batsmen to return as India opt to declare for 443/7. Rohit Sharma remains not out at 63 as India want Australian openers for bat for the final few overs of the day.





11:54 hrs IST Jadeja on the attack straightaway Ravindra Jadeja hits a boundary on the first ball that he faces and then gets dismissed in the same over by Hazlewood who picks his first wicket of the innings.





11:48 hrs IST Pant falls in trying to score quick runs The message seems to be clear - hit runs quickly. And after scoring a boundary, Pant skies a Starc delivery and is caught in the slips by Khawaja. India have lose their sixth wicket now. Ravindra Jadeja makes his way into the middle now.





11:35 hrs IST Stat attack This is Rohit’s 10th half century in Tests and second against the Australians and second in Australia. His first 50+ score this year in Tests and first 50 in seven innings in the longest format. Also, this is his first 50 in 10 innings outside Asia in Tests. The last time he scored a 50 outside Asia was in 2015 against Australia at Sydney in the second innings of the match (53 of 179). Meanwhile, third new ball has been taken by the hosts and Mitchell Starc will bowl the first over with it.





11:30 hrs IST Half-century for Rohit Rohit Sharma takes a single off Aaron Finch and with that he completes his well-deserved half-century. This Rohit’s 10th Test fifty and he has kept the innings together after the fall of two quick wickets. 50-run partnership is also up between Rohit and Pant.





11:23 hrs IST India pile on the runs Rohit Sharma and Rishabh Pant have now put together 42 runs for the sixth wickets and India have crossed the 400-run mark now. The visitors will look to put on as many runs as possible in the final 16 overs of the day.





11:16 hrs IST Lyon seems deflated Nathan Lyon has bowled his heart out and has bowled 43 overs thus far. He has given 106 runs and has picked up one wickets. He should have picked more as three catches were dropped off his bowling. Rohit and Pant will now look to extend their partnership which has started in a positive fashion.





11:08 hrs IST Cummins drops Pant for 15 This is the third chance that has been dropped by the Aussie fielders off the bowling of Nathan Lyon. This time, Pant hits the ball straight towards Cummins at long-on but the fielder drops at easy chance. Lyon cannot believe his luck as Pant gets another chance to hit a big score here.





11:01 hrs IST Another boundary for Pant This time, Marsh bowls it short from around the wicket and Pant pulls the ball for a boundary towards square leg. Pant is growing in confidence with every passing over and that is showing in his batting.





10:55 hrs IST First four for Pant Mitch Marsh bowls a bit wide and Rishabh Pant lashes at the ball hard and the ball goes for a boundary towards covers. First boundary of the innings for Pant and he will get immense confidence from it. The partnership between Pant and Rohit is worth 23 now.





10:48 hrs IST Rohit looking good This is the phase Rohit Sharma can really be dangerous in. He has the strokes in his kitty to take the attack to the Australian bowlers and against a tired attack, his innings can take the match away from the hosts in a jiffy





10:40 hrs IST Pant starts steady Rishabh Pant has played 14 deliveries so far and has scored 1 runs and there hasn’t been any wayward shot from the southpaw so far. It seems that he has been asked to play good sensible cricket early on his innings build a decent partnership with Rohit Sharma.





10:32 hrs IST Stat attack 1st LBW dismissal in 9 innings for Rahane. Back to back 30s for Rahane. Third time Lyon has dismissed Rahane in this series. 9th time Lyon has dismissed Rahane overall in Tests, most by any bowler. 1st LBW dismissal for Australia in this series.





10:26 hrs IST First wicket for Lyon The Aussie spinner has toiled and toiled hard today and he has been finally rewarded for it as he picks his first wicket of the day. The ball didn’t bounce properly after pitching and hit Rahane in the pads and he was plumb. First LBW dismissal for Australia in the series as Rahane walks back for 34. India have lost their fifth wicket now.





10:20 hrs IST Boundary for Rohit Rohit Sharma celebrates a second life by hitting Pat Cummins for a boundary towards point. Excellent shot from Rohit as he gets on top of the ball and cuts it hard. Cummins was out of the field for a brief period and he was replace by Siddle, who had dropped Rohit’s catch in the last over.





10:15 hrs IST Rohit, Rahane dropped in one over Rohit Sharma (15) throught he was heading back into the hut when he top edged a Nathan Lyon delivery. But Peter Siddle, who was fielding at backward short leg, drops a sitter. Siddle is on the field in place of Pat Cummins. Then, on the last ball of the over, Rahane (32) edges the ball towards forward short leg but Head could not react in time. Lyon has put his cap on his face and he simply cannot believe it.





10:07 hrs IST Good over from Lyon Nathan Lyon bowls a maiden over to Ajinkya Rahane and he keeps it tight for the Aussies. Rahane and Rohit have already put on 50-run partnership for the fifth wicket and the visitors are looking very settled at the moment.





09:58 hrs IST Final session begins The players are now making their way into the middle and we are about to get underway in the third session. Rohit Sharma and Ajinkya Rahane will resume proceedings for India.





9:41 hrs IST Tea Rohit negotiates that over with ease. India soldering along, 69 runs in that session, lost 2 wickets in the bargain. Rohit and Rahane camped at the crease





9:26 hrs IST The master speaks This century by @cheteshwar1 has laid the foundation for India to get ahead in this match. One more good partnership needed. The bounce is already uneven, which is a good sign for #TeamIndia. #INDvAUS pic.twitter.com/CPfDNTLpxj — Sachin Tendulkar (@sachin_rt) December 27, 2018





9:19 hrs IST Starc is looking for reverse swing The left-armer is coming from around the wicket and firing the ball full and fast, aiming for the stumps. Rahane is equal to the task so far. He has played his strokes and has increased the pace of scoring





9:06 hrs IST Rohit-Rahane looking good The pitch is flat, the ball is soft, and the attack is weary. Perfect time for the batsmen to dig in and fill their boots with Test runs. Rohit and Rahane need to keep on ticking the scoreboard





8:57 hrs IST Important passage of play This pair will have to see the innings through to Tea and then with Rishabh Pant in the hut, can go for their strokes in the final session against a weary Australian attack





8:47 hrs IST Which way will the match go? The flurry of wickets in Melbourne has still only moved the draw down to 63%. The tough conditions for the bowlers, and the lack of false shots - despite the occasional variable bounce - suggest that taking 20 wickets will take too long for either side to grab the win. #AUSvIND https://t.co/ZBq1jQfeCp — The Cricket Prof. (@CricProf) December 27, 2018





8:40 hrs IST Rahane is moving positively There is uneven bounce on this pitch and this will make batting a difficult prospect. Rahane has looked good so far with his footwork and intent. He rocks back to the short ball and the weight is on the front foot when the ball is pitched up





8:29 hrs IST Wow, Pujara is bowled Ball pitched on a length and it did not bounce. Pujara was on the backfoot, wanting to bunt the ball back, but the red nut kept low and knocked back the stumps. Australia making a comeback The ball from Cummins which dismissed Pujara bounced roughly 70cm less than other deliveries from Cummins on the same length. #AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/QOLLwOlJAJ — The Cricket Prof. (@CricProf) December 27, 2018





8:23 hrs IST Which approach will Rahane adopt? The right-hander has looked positive in his approach so far. He will play his strokes and this is what India need at the moment. But he will have to be careful





8:12 hrs IST Starc strikes, lucky break That ball was short, it had width, Kohli rises, ramps it but finds Aaron Finch perfectly at third man. Australia finally have some success Pitching 11.594m from his stumps, that delivery from Starc was the second shortest ball ever to dismiss Virat Kohli in a Test match. #AUSvIND https://t.co/oiqioPBP98 — The Cricket Prof. (@CricProf) December 27, 2018





8:04 hrs IST Discomfort for the skipper Virat Kohli being seen to by the team physio. Looks like a back complaint.



📺 Watch LIVE on Fox Cricket & 📰 join our match centre: https://t.co/1X1BKu1snw #AUSvIND #FoxCricket pic.twitter.com/wNOmxCQQ88 — Fox Cricket (@FoxCricket) December 27, 2018





8:00 hrs IST Good speeds from Starc The big quick has been good in this burst so far. Banging the ball in, challenging Kohli to go for the pull or hook. Will Kohli and India quicken their pace of scoring this session?





7:49 hrs IST Short ball tactics in place There is a short leg, a deep square leg and a fine leg in place. Starc wants to belt the ball in and ask Kohli to pull or hook the balls away. A certain tactic in place





7:41 hrs IST Back after the break We are good to go. Tim Paine speaks with his bowlers, Kohli and Pujara stride out. Australia need wickets, India will keep batting and accumulating runs. Another intriguing session awaits us





7:03 hrs IST Lunch India’s session. Pujara and Kohli remained unbeaten. Pujara got to his 17th Test century. Kohli has batting along at the other end





6:48 hrs IST And that’s the century Well played Che Pujara. He races down the track, close to the pitch of the ball and then drives it back down the ground to bring up his century





6:38 hrs IST Slow progress Pujara eyes another century but India have been slow this morning. It appears as if they want to wear the Aussie bowlers down and keep batting on for a longer time. Hard fought Test cricket





6:25 hrs IST Getting tricky for Paine and company Australia's recent record in high-scoring games isn't anything to write home about. They have won none of the last nine Tests where they have conceded 450+ in the first innings of a match. Hardly surprising, but not very encouraging for Tim Paine's men. #AUSvIND — The Cricket Prof. (@CricProf) December 27, 2018





6:13 hrs IST Back to attritional cricket After a positive start, Kohli and Pujara are now more watchful. Australia have bowled well, the bowlers have beaten the bat and the batsmen have hard to work hard for their runs





5:56 hrs IST Good probing over by Hazlewood Great stuff from the big quick, pounding the ball on a length outside the off stump. Kohli nicked one, but is safe and then had to leave the rest of the deliveries. Intriguing passage of Test cricket





5:49 hrs IST Starc has looked sharp Mitchell Starc has found the most swing (0.6°), the most seam (0.8°), and been the quickest (147kph) of any Australian bowler in this Test. #AUSvIND — The Cricket Prof. (@CricProf) December 27, 2018





5:41 hrs IST Kohli looks patient Pat Cummins is bowling them full and wide, asking Kohli to go for the drive. The captain takes the front foot and then lifts the bat out of the way to allow safe passage to the ball. He looks to be in for the long haul





5:28 hrs IST Starc looks frustrated Australia have not managed to get the early breakthrough and this is showing. Mitchell Starc is looking rather frustrated. India ticking along nicely at the moment





5:17 hrs IST Stat Attack- Century stand between Pujara and Kohli · 7th century stand in Tests between Kohli and Pujara. · 1st century partnership for 3rd wicket by India after 10 innings. · 2nd century stand for 3rd wicket in away Tests by India in 2018. o The last time India’s 3rd wicket had 2 or more century stands in away Tests in a year was in 2015 (3). · 3rd century stand for 3rd wicket against Australia in 2018 — the most against any team in this year. · 1st century partnership for India in this series.





5:10 hrs IST Stat Attack - Kohli’s 20th Test 50 · 20th fifty for Kohli in Tests · His 4th 50 against the Australians in Tests, Only the 3rd in Australia · His 5th 50 of this year in Tests · His 1st fifty of this series (he has 1 century) · He now has scored three 50+ scores in 3 consecutive innings at the MCG. (50* in 2018, 169 & 54 in 2014)





5:06 hrs IST 50 for Kohli Full ball angled in, Kohli clips it away through mid-wicket and takes 3 runs to score yet another Test 50. Good way to get things rolling on a new day





5:00 hrs IST Cummins to get things going Pat Cummins, who was the pick of the bowlers on Day 1, will start proceedings. The sun is beating down in all its glory. Pujara takes strike and lets the ball go





4:57 hrs IST Pitch report ‘The pitch has dried out a lot, it has got harder and there are some footmarks developing. It is still an easy pitch to bat on, a big first innings score by India will put pressure on the hosts,’ reckons Allan Border





4:31 hrs IST Australia need to strike early Australia need early wickets this morning. Their WinViz has sunk to 11%, and another solid session from Virat Kohli and Cheteshwar Pujara could see the visitors take a decisive lead in this match. #AUSvIND — The Cricket Prof. (@CricProf) December 26, 2018





4:11 hrs IST Pujara eyes Dravid’s record The half-century was Pujara’s 19th in Test cricket as a number 3 batsman and that puts him on the second spot behind his predecessor Rahul Dravid in the list of most half-centuries scored by an India number 3. By the end of day’s play Pujara had blunted 200 deliveries from the 534 that the Aussies had bowled, which is nearly 40 percent of the total deliveries faced by the Indian batsmen. While doing so, Pujara brought up his 21st half-century in Test cricket and 8th against the Aussies.





4:01 hrs IST Kohli was dropped Kohli was dropped on 47 by Australian skipper Tim Paine during Mitchell Starc’s brilliant over towards the end of the day’s play. “... the best over today was from Starc. Beating Kohli inside and outside, that new ball hopefully can come out and do that tomorrow again. It was disappointing to leave that chance but it happens,” Head said on Wednesday.





3:54 hrs IST Day when Mitchell Marsh was booed The MCG crowd started booing Marsh once his name was announced on the public address system when he came onto bowl in the third Test against India. Travis Head was“disappointed” at the booing of Mitchell Marsh in the ongoing third Test against India, triggered by the West Australian being preferred over local star Peter Handscomb.





3:46 hrs IST Day 1 belonged to Mayank Agarwal During the first innings show of brilliance, Mayank’s score of 76 is the highest by any Indian debutant in Australia. Also it is now the highest score by an Indian opener away from home. Mayank became the seventh Indian opener to score a 50 on debut. He also became the third opener this year to score a 50 on debut (Fakhar Zaman and Aaron Finch are the others). Interestingly, he is only the second Indian player after Dattu Phadkar to score a 50 on debut in Australia and only the second Indian opener after Sunil Gavaskar to score a 50 on debut away from home.



