Images from Day 3 of the first Test between Australia and India in Perth on Sunday.
Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj left the Australian batting in tatters, reducing the home team to 12 for 3 at stumps on Day 3 of the 1st Test in Perth on Sunday.
This, after Virat Kohli brought all his technical expertise into play while dealing with vagaries of variable bounce during his 30th hundred after heir apparent Yashasvi Jaiswal's classy 161 put India in sight of a remarkable Test victory.
The Indians dominated the third day to first set an improbable 534-run target for the hosts before reducing them to 12/3 at close of play.
Once Kohli reached an unprecedented seventh Test century Down Under, Indian skipper Bumrah declared at 487 for 6 with five overs to go flat out.
Chasing a record 534 for victory, captain Bumrah struck in the very first over, trapping debutant Nathan McSweeney LBW for a duck.
Australian captain Pat Cummins came in as nightwatchman but lasted just 8 deliveries before nicking one off Mohammed Siraj to fall for 2.
Marnus Labuschagne started his innings with a good drive down the ground for 3 but he offered no shot to Bumrah's delivery that hit him plumb in front and was given out LBW by the on-field umpire.
Labuschagne blew a review and lost his wicket as India walked off the field sitting firmly in the driver's seat.
Opener Usman Khawaja (3) will have a lot of work to do on Day 4 with the hosts' backs against the wall.
The match would be memorable for many reasons and one of them would be the exhibition of top quality batsmanship by the 'King' and 'Prince' of current India batting but in contrasting conditions and different match situations.
Jaiswal built a fascinating structure with care and Kohli (100 not out, 143 balls) polished it and put a beautiful coat of paint while throwing caution to the wind while reaching the landmark.
But it was veteran Kohli, who showed how to play on a wicket that consistently misbehaved during his second hundred at the Perth Stadium and 30th overall, which incidentally took him past Sir Don Bradman's 29 Test tons.
There were deliveries that simply didn't bounce. One from Mitchell Starc an upper cut for six over backward point while the shot of the day was an on drive off Cummins.
When Nathan Lyon started turning the ball square, he either got a big stride forward or brought the sweep shot, which he doesn't play often, out of his closet. His hundred, in fact, came off a sweep.
The straight six off Lyon with the turn was exhilarating as young Nitish Reddy (38 not out off 27 balls) only enhanced his reputation with some muscular IPL-like strokes that took India past the 500-run mark.
Before 'King Kohli' took charge, the new 'Prince' Jaiswal, just a month short of his 23rd birthday, notched up a classic fourth century in Tests. The knock has provided his skipper Bumrah with enough ammunition to exploit the treacherous bounce that is starting to trouble batters.
India lost only Washington in the third session after Australia picked four wickets after lunch but Kohli put India in command.
Earlier, Yashasvi Jaiswal on Sunday emerged as the unofficial flag-bearer of Indian batting for the next decade and a half as India's lead swelled their lead to a commanding 405 at tea, on the third day of the opening Test against Australia in Perth.
At the break, India were 359 for 5 in their second innings.
A little over a month shy of his 23rd birthday, Jaiswal, who has already announced his arrival on the big stage, notched up a classic 161 off 297 balls -- his fourth century in Tests -- which has provided his skipper Jasprit Bumrah with enough ammunition to exploit the variable bounce that is starting to trouble batters.
Virat Kohli (40 batting, 74 balls) used all his experience in Test cricket is ensuring that the chase goes beyond Australia's reach and the classic on-drive off rival skipper Pat Cummins reminded one and all of the golden days that the 'King' has enjoyed in this part of the world.
With no seam movement, Kohli was able to control the other factor -- variable bounce -- and his front-foot stride was way more assured compared to first essay.
Devdutt Padikkal (25) and Dhruv Jurel (1) didn't make most of the big break and are all set to be replaced in the next Test in Adelaide with both skipper Rohit Sharma and injured Shubman Gill set to be back in action.
Rishabh Pant's (1) intent was spot-on but execution can always go wrong when one plays a high-risk game.
The post-lunch session turned out to be the most productive for Australia since the opening day as India, starting the session at 275 for 1, slumped to 321 for 5 but by then the lead was well past 360-run mark.
Padikkal knew that best chance to get some confidence was to score a few runs before the second new ball was taken.
He had an extremely confident Jaiswal at the other end, who smashed Nathan Lyon's delivery pitched on the rough through the off-side. Jaiswal hit a gorgeous off-drive off Starc once the second new ball was taken.
Jaiswal-Padikkal duo added 74 runs for the second wicket but the Karnataka player failed to convert the start that he got.
Josh Hazlewood struck with the first ball after lunch, a full 130 kmph delivery on a fifth stump line which captured the edge of Devdutt Padikkal, who was caught by Steven Smith at second slip for 25.
A square drive for one off Mitchell Starc brought up Jaiswal's 150.
The top-order batsman presented a tough chance to Alex Carey, tickling captain Pat Cummins down the leg side, but Australia's keeper could only get a fingertip to it as it raced away for four.
Jaiswal pushed his luck too far against all-rounder Mitchell Marsh, however, a full-blooded cut gobbled up by Smith at point to bring a spectacular knock to a close.
Spinner Nathan Lyon picked up his first wicket of the game through an easy stumping, cleverly pitching wide to an advancing Rishabh Pant (one).
Dhruv Jurel also fell for one, trapped lbw by Cummins, as Australia celebrated their third wicket in 18 balls.
Kohli, who gracefully lifted Starc for six before the ball hit a security guard on the head, will look to extend the lead after tea with Washington Sundar, who is on 14.
Earlier, Jaiswal hit his fourth Test hundred as India reached 275 for 1 at lunch on the second day of the opening Test against Australia in Perth, on Sunday.
The 22-year-old slammed 12 fours and three sixes during his unbeaten 141, marking his maiden century on Australian soil.
Jaiswal cruised to 141 not out to help take his team to a 321-run lead and leave the Australian bowling attack dejected.
During the break, Jaiswal was batting alongside Devdutt Padikkal, who reached 25 not out, as the duo carried India forward after KL Rahul's dismissal for 77.
Jaiswal and Rahul stitched a record-breaking 201-run stand for the opening wicket, the highest by an Indian opening pair on Australian soil.
India were all out for 150 in the first innings after boldly electing to bat in seam-friendly conditions, and Australia were skittled for just 104 in response.
Resuming on 90 overnight, within the first half-hour Jaiswal brought up his fourth Test hundred audaciously upper-cutting pacer Josh Hazlewood to deep fine leg.
The emerging sensation had a moment to contemplate his celebration as umpires checked for a four or six, and upon confirmation that it flushed the boundary rope he raised his arms and embraced his opening partner KL Rahul.
The six also ensured that Jaiswal and Rahul's opening pair surpassed the previous record stand of 191 set by Sunil Gavaskar and Krishnamachari Srikkanth way back in Sydney in 1986.
A missed run-out by captain Pat Cummins gave Jaiswal a life on 101 in the 63rd over.
Rahul, who played one of his most compact defensive innings on the second day, was more intent on scoring some quick runs with the Kookaburra ball being 60 plus overs old and hardly doing anything off the pitch which had flattened considerably.
A few overpitched deliveries from Mitchell Starc did fetch him some runs but a hundred that was there for the taking didn't come though.
Five balls after Jaiswal's ton, Rahul (77) feathered fast man Mitchell Starc to keeper Alex Carey to break the monster 201-run opening stand -- India's highest Down Under.
Jaiswal, whose innings started conservatively, became increasingly aggressive as the ball aged and the fielders tired, bashing and slashing to force unorthodox field placements including a fly slip 15 metres in from the boundary.
His only false shot came when Cummins, around the wicket, cramped the batsman for room and a late cut flew just above the outstretched hand of Steven Smith at second slip.
Marnus Labuschagne failed to make an impact with his part-time medium pace, at one point presenting second-gamer Devdutt Padikkal (25 not out) with a rank full toss dispatched for four.
Australia's seamers did not make any inroads after taking the new ball, conceding 20 runs in a productive four overs for the visitors before the break.
