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LIVE! Australia vs India, 1st Test Day 3: India 2 down as Vijay, Rahul depart

Cheteshwar Pujara and Virat Kohli will hold the key as India look to secure a big lead in the first Test against Australia in Adelaide. (Photo: AP) Adelaide : Just when it seemed that KL Rahul has settled down, he has got out playing a loose shot as India have lost their openers while leading Australia by 95 runs on Day three of the first Test against Australia here on Saturday. Virat Kohli has joined Cheteshwar Pujara in the middle as India look to secure a big lead.

India 80/2 from 24.2 overs:

WICKET! Waste of a wicket! KL Rahul gets out, playing a loose shot off Hazlewood. He tries to loft one over mid-on but edges it and Paine does no mistake behind the wickets. India 2 down.

India 63/1 from 18.2 overs:

WICKET! Edge and taken in the slips! Mitchell Starc has given Australia their first breakthrough as Murali Vijay departs. Peter Handscomb takes a neat catch in the slips.

After securing the 15-run lead in the first innings, the onus will be on Indian batsmen to come good as the visitors will look to strengthen their position in what has been a keenly-fought first Test against Australia.

Travis Head matched his highest Test score but missed out on a century as Australia moved to within 15 runs of India after the first innings, leaving the opening Test in Adelaide on a knife-edge Saturday.

Batting on his home ground, Head made 72 before nicking a Mohammed Shami delivery to wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant after adding 11 to his overnight 61.

It signalled a quick end to the Australian innings, with the last wicket rapidly following and lunch called as rain came down before India's batsmen could get to the crease.

Australia made 235, in reply to India's 250. They started the day at 191-7.

After two days of stifling hot conditions, a change rolled in Saturday and play began 45 minutes late in gloomy conditions, with the ground's lights on.

It only lasted 3.4 overs before the drizzle began again and the umpires called the players off after Mitchell Starc was caught behind by Pant, getting a thin edge to a Jasprit Bumrah delivery.

He added seven runs to his overnight eight.

Play resumed after an hour with Nathan Lyon accompanying Head, who looked on track to better his previous best Test score against Pakistan in October.

But he was enticed into prodding at a Shami ball and was out to deny him the chance of a maiden ton in his third Test.

Josh Hazlewood came to the crease but was gone first ball, again to the Shami-Pant combination, leaving Nathan Lyon unbeaten after a quick-fire 24, including a six.

For India, Ravichandran Ashwin finished with 3-57 and Jasprit Bumrah had 3-47.

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