02:45

After three days of attritional cricket the first Test exploded into life on Sunday with 11 wickets falling during three sessions that all-but eliminated the possibility of a draw.

India began the day confidently and looked set for a huge lead before a suicidal collapse saw them plummet from 234-3 to 307 all out. Some of the dismissals would have seemed absurd in T20, let alone a Test match with almost two days remaining.

Che Pujara’s 71 and Ajinkya Rahane’s 70 were the main contributors to India’s imposing 323-run advantage but Rishabh Pant’s 16-ball 28 best summed up the chaos. Nathan Lyon’s ill fortune of days past was forgotten as he picked up six second-innings wickets.

Australia’s run-chase has been peculiar. In large part the application to grind towards the target slowly has been admirable, but in amongst the studious defence have been enough poor attacking shots to account for three top order batsmen, while Aaron Finch gave himself out without obviously gloving a bat-pad catch.

Play will start half an hour early tomorrow (10am local time) meaning a positive result one way or another is inevitable. If this pair make it through to the second new ball, who knows? Perhaps the redemption of Shaun Marsh may yet be the feelgood hit of the summer.

Join Adam and Geoff (and potentially me, if we get to a third session) tomorrow for the conclusion of this engrossing contest.