Highlights: Australia’s batting woes returned on the third day of the fourth Test on Saturday and they had slumped to 236 for six when bad light and rain brought an early end to their response to India’s mammoth first-innings tally of 622-7 declared.

The tourists only need a draw to claim a first series win in Australia and the home side’s hopes of preventing even that faded as they blew a solid start to lose five wickets after lunch. (FULL COVERAGE AND SCORECARD)

Follow India vs Australia highlights here -

11:32 hrs IST Play abandoned due to rain The rest of the Day 3 of the fourth Test has been called off due to rain. The fourth day will begin half an hour before scheduled start. Peter Handscomb (28*) and Pat Cummins (25*) end Day 3 at 236/6, trail India by 386 runs. An extra 8.3 overs is scheduled to be bowled on Sunday.





10:57 hrs IST Shocking review Very bad call from the Indians, the ball was always slanted in, Handscomb was on his backfoot, he missed it and the ball would have always missed the stumps. Review wasted and the players go off as rain comes spitting down





10:49 hrs IST It is become very murky Dark clouds have encircled the SCG and this has made the conditions rather murky. Handscomb has looked very convincing against spin, he has to battle on. Cummins is looking solid at the other end





10:35 hrs IST Cummins is at it again Pat Cummins has been the thorn in India’s flesh and he is looking secured once again, picking up the line and spin pretty comfortably at the moment





10:29 hrs IST Handscomb looking comfortable After a nervy start, the right-hander has looked comfortable against spin. There are dark clouds hovering over the ground. Australia need to hang in there





10:17 hrs IST Kuldeep spinning it big The ball from Kuldeep Yadav that dismissed Tim Paine spun 9.9°. No other ball in this Test has spun as much. #AUSvIND — The Cricket Prof. (@CricProf) January 5, 2019





10:07 hrs IST Kuldeep, you beauty What a ball. Tossed up, Paine goes for the drive, ball spins back in and smacks the stumps. Australia on the mat, Paine walks back. Lovely bowling





10:03 hrs IST Back after the break Kuldeep Yadav to start proceedings after Tea. He has been very impressive today and Australia need to drag on till the end of the day. India right on top as of now





9:44 hrs IST Tea Great session for India, picked up 4 wickets, Australia are still 424 runs behind and this is the last recognised batting duo at the crease.





9:42 hrs IST Kuldeep has been impressive 66% of Kuldeep Yadav's deliveries have been pitched full in this Test - the next highest figure for the frontline spinners is Labuschagne's 38%. Kuldeep has also been more than 10kph slower than any other bowler in this match. #AUSvIND — The Cricket Prof. (@CricProf) January 5, 2019





9:36 hrs IST Head departs Soft dismissal. He rushes down the track, makes the ball into a full toss and then chips it back to Kuldeep who takes a smart catch. Australia are 5 down. India make another timely break before Tea. Kuldeep has deserved this wicket, he has been very impressive





9:28 hrs IST Head, Handscomb fighting hard Both batsmen are working hard to get through to Tea and are fighting hard at the moment. Kohli is making changes and rotating his bowlers to find one more wicket before the break





9:14 hrs IST When Rahul was applauded by the umpire Marcus Harris miscued the first ball of Ravindra Jadeja’s spell on Saturday and KL Rahul produced a brilliant effort at mid-on to reach the ball. However, before the umpires could consult the third umpire about whether the ball touched the ground or not, Rahul himself indicated umpire that the catch was not clean.





9:08 hrs IST Good probing over by Kuldeep He is tossing the ball up and getting it to drift. The wind has kicked in which is assisting his efforts. Promises to be a probing spell





8:53 hrs IST Funky fields from Kohli Against Shami, the skipper has set a leg-side heavy field and wants the bowler to hoop the ball back in and get Handscomb driving uppishly towards them





8:43 hrs IST The Australian conundrum SMarsh's average of 26 for this series isn't great but nobody's made any runs in the Sheffield Shield for a few weeks now. No choice, really, but to back him to come good against Sri Lanka. I'm sure he will. Just needs an opportunity. #AUSvIND — Dan Liebke (@LiebCricket) January 5, 2019





8:41 hrs IST Shami bowling with discipline Good pressure exerted by Shami. Keeping it tight and forcing the batsmen to defend with the ball reversing just a touch. Kohli has men in attacking positions if there are mistakes committed





8:33 hrs IST Smart by Kohli Tactically I like the way Kohli kept manoeuvring those leg side fielders. As a batter that’s a nightmare to constantly have to change your angles when the ball is coming in like that! Eventuated in a wicket. Well played. — Alyssa Healy (@ahealy77) January 5, 2019





8:30 hrs IST Marnus walks back Length ball angled in, Marnus flicks it, but it is in the air and there is Ajinkya Rahane at short mid-wicket who snaffles a tough sharp catch. India have made a roaring comeback into this contest, Australia under pressure now after Lunch.





08:24 hrs IST Stat Attack: Shaun Marsh Shaun Marsh departs for 8 (13) · Shaun Marsh now has failed to score a single score of 50 in his last 5 innings · 3rd time dismissed by a spinner in this series, all against different spinners · 3rd time Jadeja has dismissed Shaun Marsh in Tests · Jadeja now has taken atleast 2 wickets in his last 4 innings





08:18 hrs IST Jadeja strikes again Ravindra Jadeja strikes again as Shaun Marsh departs for 8, Australia 144/3.This is a poor shot from Marsh as it went straight on, caught the outside edge and Ajinkya Rahane has an easy catch at slip. Australia 144/3





08:04 hrs IST Stat Attack: Marcus Harris Marcus Harris dismissed by Jadeja on 79(120) · This score of 79 is the highest for an Australian in this series · 2nd time bowled in his career · This is his career best score (in an innings) · 4th time he has been dismissed by a spinner, 2nd time Jadeja has dismissed in this series · He now has the 2nd highest score (in an innings) by an Australian opener in the debut series amongst the last 5 debutants who were openers





07:57 hrs IST Harris departs Ravindra Jadeja strikes! Marcus Harris departs for 79 as Australia are 128/2. It was a late cut from the opener but he ended up playing it on to his stumps. This is a big wicket for India as both the batsmen were looking quite set and this can open the floodgates! Australia 128/2





07:55 hrs IST Australia’s gameplan Australia sped to 50 within seven overs of play on the third morning, adding 27 runs in 29 minutes of play. Later, they crossed 100 in the 30th over. Now, they will be concentrating on safeguarding the wickets rather than scoring at a faster pace. Australia 128/1





07:46 hrs IST Second Session Time for the post-lunch session and Ravindra Jadeja will be starting the proceedings for India. This will be a crucial session for both teams as Australia will be looking to minimise the lead as much as possible while India will be desperate for wickets! Australia 122/1





07:40 hrs IST India’s bowling woes There wasn’t much help from the pitch for the two pacers Mohammed Shami (0-31) and Jasprit Bumrah (0-26) who started proceedings. It could be seen from Ravindra Jadeja (0-25) being brought on to bowl in the fifth over of the morning, while left-arm wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav (1-40) came on to bowl three overs later.





07:30 hrs IST Stat Attack: Australia partnership 50 run partnership between Harris-Labuschagne · This is the first instance for this pair to bat together in Tests · 1st 50 run partnership for Australia for the 2nd wicket in this series · This is the 1st instance in the last 10 innings for the 2nd wicket Australian pair to put up 50-runs against India in Australia · 5th consecutive times for Australia that the 2nd wicket pair has put up atleast 50-run stand at the SCG





07:20 hrs IST Lunch Report A fired up Marcus Harris blazed an unbeaten 77 as Australia showed some backbone in the final Test at Sydney Saturday as they work to reel in India’s huge first innings total. At lunch on day three, they were 122 for one with the aggressive Harris leading from the front, supported by Marnus Labuschagne who was not out 18. Usman Khawaja was the only wicket to fall, for 27. India took a stranglehold on the match over the opening two days, compiling a massive 622 for seven declared on the back of centuries from irrepressible Cheteshwar Pujara and livewire Rishabh Pant.





07:07 hrs IST Lunch on Day 3 Marcus Harris remains unbeaten on 77 as Australia are 122/1 at lunch on Day 3. Kuldeep Yadav was able to take the first wicket quite early but Australia have steadied the innings thanks to Harris and Marnus Labuschagne.





06:59 hrs IST Shami’s reverse swing Shami has been bowling well and getting it to reverse just a bit. But that is not enough to cause trouble for batsmen on this pitch. On the other end, Virat Kohli has reintroduced Jasprit Bumrah but it looks like Australia will go into lunch with nine wickets in hand. Australia 121/1





06:44 hrs IST Support for Australia I am happy to see our batsmen looking good today! Positive with great intent... — Dean Jones (@ProfDeano) January 5, 2019





06:37 hrs IST 100 up for Australia Marcus Harris (65*) takes Australia past the 100-run mark. It’s game on in Sydney as the Australians have played good cricket in the first session and India are struggling to get wickets on this pitch. Australia 110/1





06:20 hrs IST Harris takes on Kuldeep Three fours in an over! Marcus Harris goes after Kuldeep Yadav and the youngster ended up conceding 12 runs in that over. This is great batting by the Australia opener as he is not letting the Indian bowlers settle and this can help the hosts in scoring runs quickly in the first session. Australia 99/1





06:12 hrs IST Australia fight back The wicket has not dampened Australia’s spirits as Labuschagne and Harris are looking to score quickly against Ravindra Jadeja and Kuldeep Yadav. With spinners on both end, they are relying a lot on the sweep shot and with a couple of boundaries in the last three overs, they will be quite confident. Australia 86/1





06:03 hrs IST Fifty for Marcus Harris Marcus Harris scores a half century · His 2nd career half-century, both have come in the 1st (team) innings · This half century for him has come after 3 innings · In the last 8 innings (including this one) for Australia at the SCG, atleast one opener has scored a 50+ score





05:59 hrs IST Stat Attack: Kuldeep Yadav Usman Khawaja dismissed by Kuldeep for 27(71) · 6th time in this series out of his 7 innings has he been dismissed out caught · 4th time he has been dismissed by a spinner in this series · He now has scored only 1 50 in this series (7 innings) · Kuldeep has now taken atleast 1 wicket in his last 5 innings





05:51 hrs IST Kuldeep strikes Kuldeep Yadav strikes as Usman Khawaja departs for 27, AUS 72/1. This is exactly the breakthrough that India was looking for. Kuldeep was bowling quite well and Khawaja ended up giving a straight forward catch to Cheteshwar Pujara in short mid-wicket!





05:47 hrs IST Kuldeep-Bumrah attack Virat Kohli is changing his bowlers quite frequently today and right now, he has gone with Jasprit Bumrah and Kuldeep Yadav. Yadav started well but was hit for a couple of boundaries by Marcus Harris who is nearing his half century. On the other hand, Bumrah replaced Jadeja and will be looking to repeat his Perth heroics. Australia 70/0





05:40 hrs IST Stat Attack: Opening partnership 50-run opening partnership for Australia · 1st 50+ partnership for the pair · 1st 50-run opening partnership for Australia in 5 innings, only the 2nd in this series · Australia now has 4 50+ opening partnership at the SCG in 5 matches (in the 1st team innings)





05:33 hrs IST Openers frustrate India It has been a great start for Marcus Harris and Usman Khawaja as both of them are looking quite comfortable against the Indian bowlers. Both Harris and Khawaja are looking to take the bowlers on and with a handful of runs against Shami and Jadeja, they were able to take their partnership past 50. Australia 57/0





05:25 hrs IST Jadeja into the attack Ravindra Jadeja is the first change and he has a chance straightaway as Marcus Harris miscued his shot but the ball fell just ahead of KL Rahul at mid-on. Two balls later, Harris was able to connect properly and he slammed the ball through the gully region for a boundary. Australia 36/0





05:18 hrs IST Rishabh Pant’s record Thanks to his brilliant hundred, Rishabh Pant surpassed former Indian keeper Farokh Engineer’s score of 89 runs at Adelaide in 1967-68 to become the highest run-getter for India against Australia as a wicket-keeper batsman.





05:11 hrs IST Shami partners Bumrah Mohammed Shami is bowling from the other end and he will be quite upset with Rishabh Pant as he dropped a simple chance towards the end of Day 2. Both Shami and Bumrah have started the day well and they will be desperate to take a quick wicket. Australia 29/0





05:02 hrs IST Play begins Jasprit Bumrah to bowl the first over for India while Marcus Harris and Usman Khawaja will be looking to play out the first hour cautiously. India will be looking for an early breakthrough while Australia will have to bat really well in order to find their way back in this game. Australia 27/0





04:57 hrs IST Good news for India For those asking, no side has ever lost a Test match after making a 600+ total.

A year ago, Bangladesh came close to that total, when they lost the Wellington Test match by 7 wickets after reaching 595/8d in 152 overs on the third morning.#AusvInd#AusvsInd — Mohandas Menon (@mohanstatsman) January 4, 2019





04:56 hrs IST Pant on on-field banter “That (banter) is also one of the methods to keep yourself positive and to keep yourself busy. When you are fielding for a long time, everyone’s body does get tired but you need to find a way to keep yourself positive and stay concentrated. My method is this, and it works for me, and that’s why I am doing it,” Pant told the media on Friday. “As a player, I don’t think about any of these things (stump microphone being turned up). Whatever I feel like at that moment, I say it. That’s the only way,” he added.





04:50 hrs IST Pitch Report Day 3 Pitch

🏏 looks healthy stump to stump 🍃

🏏 Looks thirsty wide 💧

🏏 An Aussie 💯 🤞

🏏 💰 for ⁦@McGrathFdn⁩ pic.twitter.com/dC1OAx0Kdo — Damien Fleming (@bowlologist) January 4, 2019





04:43 hrs IST Paine defends Starc Tim Paine on Friday came in defence of fast bowler Mitchell Starc as the latter was criticised for not being able to scalp any Indian wicket on the second day of the fourth Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground. The spearhead was criticised by Shane Warne, the former Australian cricketer. However, Starc got the support of former Australian captain Ricky Ponting and current captain Paine. “I don’t know what people expect from him (Starc). That is what I don’t get with the criticism he is getting; Mitchell Starc is trying his absolute best to do the same thing he did a year ago when he was swinging the ball around corners,” Cricket Australia quoted Paine, as saying.





04:33 hrs IST ‘I love Test cricket’ Considering the Test format as the ultimate challenge for any cricketer, Cheteshwar Pujara on Friday said if he had to get an opportunity, he would still like to play the longest format. “If test cricket still goes on and if I had to get an opportunity, I would still like to play Test cricket... because that is the ultimate challenge I would say. In T20 format you can get away with so many things. But when it comes to your character, temperament or other things as a cricketer you can describe, it can be challenged only in Test cricket,” the top-order batsman said in an exclusive BCCI video.





04:25 hrs IST Rewards for Pujara Cheteshwar Pujara’s stellar performance in the ongoing Test series against Australia could get him an upgrade to the topmost A plus bracket in the central contracts as the BCCI is deliberating a relaxation of norms for the dependable No.3. Pujara has so far scored 521 runs in seven innings with three hundreds at an impressive average of 74.42.





04:18 hrs IST India chase history Unless Australia win, India will claim a first-ever series victory Down Under since they began touring here in 1947-48. They lead 2-1. India (first innings): 622/7 declared (Cheteshwar Pujara 193, Rishabh Pant 159 not out; Nathon Lyon 4/178) vs Australia (first innings): 24/0 (Marcus Harris 19 batting, Usman Khawaja 5 batting) at stumps on Day 2.





04:07 hrs IST Pant’s Heroics India put together their second highest team total on Australian soil, piling up 622/7 declared on the second day of the match. Their highest team total, 705/7 declared, was also incidentally scored at this venue, in 2004. Rishabh Pant became the first Indian wicket-keeper to claim a hundred Down Under with an unbeaten 159-run effort that came off 189 balls. This was his second Test hundred, the first being in England earlier this year.





03:57 hrs IST India on top Day 2 belonged to India as they enjoyed almost complete control against a tired looking Australia bowling attack with Pujara leading the way with his highest score outside India from 373 balls with 22 boundaries, giving the standout performer of the series 521 runs at an average of 74.4 in over 30 hours at the crease.



