Cheteshwar Pujara produced yet another classy hundred and stitched a 170-run stand with captain Virat Kohli (82) to put India in command against Australia on the second day of the third Test in Melbourne on Thursday.

Pujara hit his second century of the series, a dogged but faultless 106 off 319 balls, to ensure that India consolidated the good start of the first day. Kohli, who contributed a significant 82 off 204 balls, declared India’s first innings at 443/7.

Rohit Sharma ended on 63 not out off 114 balls, inclusive of five fours, while Pat Cummins was the pick of the Australian bowlers, taking 3/72 in a back-breaking effort of 34 overs.

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At stumps, Australia were placed at 8/0 from 6 overs with openers Aaron Finch and Marcus Harris both unbeaten on 3 and 5 respectively. India lead by 435 runs.

Post tea, it was a comedy of fielding errors from Australia as they missed three easy chances, all of Nathan Lyon (1/110), in what proved to be a frustrating 48 overs from him.

First, in the 147th over, substitute fielder Peter Siddle put down Rohit (on 15 then) at backward square leg as the batsman played a wild sweep. A ball later, Ajinkya Rahane (34) was lucky when on 32 as Travis Head was caught napping at short leg when the ball sailed past him.

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Rahane got unlucky shortly afterwards though as one delivery from Lyon kept too low and he was plumb lbw.

Australia took the third new ball in the 167th over and it worked as Pant looped up a catch to Usman Khawaja behind the wickets off Mitchell Starc (2/87). The accelerating burst before the declaration never came as skipper Kohli called the batsmen in when Ravindra Jadeja (4) was caught behind off Josh Hazlewood (1/86).

Here are the statistical highlights of what turned out to be another day in India’s kitty.

  • Pujara scored his 17th Test century and second of the series – the first time he has done that away from home.
  • This was also Pujara’s slowest Test century.
  • This stat is more an indication of the pitch at MCG than Pujara’s patience.
  • Pujara also crossed 2,000 runs away from home in his Test career. This is his 31st match away from home, where he averages just under 40 now.
  • In a stat that would make VVS Laxman proud, Pujara continued his good scoring run against Australia.
  • Virat Kohli went past Rahul Dravid’s record for most overseas Test runs by an Indian in a calendar year.
  • Kohli also became only the second Indian batsman to score 300 Test runs at the MCG. Only Sachin Tendulkar has scored more.
  • The Pujara-Kohli partnership (170 runs) broke a few records as you’d expect. For starters, it was India’s highest stand in this series so far, and the first to cross three figures.
  • India’s score of 443 is their highest in Tests in 2018.
  • The innings lasted 169.4 overs, which is the longest at the MCG in 35 years.
  • Rohit Sharma scored his first away Test half century in nearly four years. The last time he did that was in Sydney in 2015.