India claim big lead against Australia in Nagpur test

NAGPUR, India : India claimed a significant first-innings lead of 223 before being all out for 400 at lunch on day three of the opening test against Australia on Saturday.

Axar Patel, who raised 88 runs with Ravindra Jadeja (70) for the eighth wicket, made 84 before becoming the last Indian batsman to fall on the stroke of lunch.

Having bundled out Australia for a below-par 177, India had seized control of the match after Rohit Sharma produced a captain's knock of 120 on a spin-friendly pitch.

Patel and Jadeja drove home India's advantage, while Mohammed Shami (37) chipped in with a breezy cameo down the order to pin Australia on the mat.

Todd Murphy was pick of the Australia bowlers, claiming 7-124 in his debut test, but they will need an extraordinary batting effort to escape defeat on a track where Marnus Labuschagne's 49 was the highest score by a touring batsman in the first innings.

New Delhi, Dharamsala and Ahmedabad host the remaining matches of the four-test series for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.