Australia bowled just 17 overs on another rain-affected day in Brisbane, but it was enough for their pace attack to dismantle India’s top order as they sank to 51-4 and ended the third day 394 runs behind the hosts.
After Australia’s tail wagged a little too long with the bat, reaching 445 early on Monday, Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood quickly stood up to India with a devastating opening spell at the Gabba.
Starc (2-25) took the wickets of Yashaswi Jaiswal and Shubman Gill in his first two overs to set the tone, while Hazlewood (1-17) grabbed the prize wicket of Virat Kohli just before the rains left India 22-3 at an early lunch.
After dismissing Jaiswal (4) with the first ball of the innings in the second Test in Adelaide, Starc needed just two balls at the Gabba to take out the tourists’ opener.
The first ball the 22-year-old skied through the gully, but the second he took a simple catch to Mitch Marsh at mid-on for a gentle dismissal.
In his next over, Starc struck again with Marsh’s acrobatic dive to take a two-handed catch at gully to remove Gill (1) and India were 7-2.
Hazlewood returned to the team after a side strain ruled him out of last week’s second Test and then shocked India by luring veteran Kohli to the edge to send India down for three as rain began to fall and prompt an early lunch.
On the resumption, skipper Pat Cummins (1-7) claimed his first wicket by dismissing Rishabh Pant at behind to reduce India to 44-4.
Captain Rohit Sharma came out to join KL Rahul but the latter only had time for a superb cover boundary before another passing shower forced the players off the field.
How the wet weather leaves the third Test
Nathan Lyon takes the wickets away as rain stops play on day three
The rest of the afternoon saw the weather clear up, but just as play resumed another passing shower would sweep across the arena.
Play finally resumed shortly after 5pm local time, but another 17 balls were bowled for three runs before another passing shower and deteriorating light forced the end of the day’s play.
Australia now have two days to play, weather permitting, and their path to a possible victory looks set to bowl India out for less than 244 in the first innings and force the next over.
The hosts resumed on Monday at 405-7 and some strong batting from Starc and Alex Carey took Australia to 445. Carey was the last wicket to fall for an impressive 70 off 88 balls; century.
Jasprit Bumrah added another wicket to return figures of 6-76 to complete his 12th five-wicket haul in Tests the previous day.
India won the first Test by 295 runs in Perth, while Australia bounced back to win the second afternoon Test in Adelaide by 10 wickets.
