INDIA BUILD LEAD, RUN BY RUN

Shami wraps it up:

Shami’s back-to-back wickets to wrap up the Australian innings dismissing Head and Hazlewood, further showcased his recent record against left-handers. In Tests in 2018, he averages 22.4 against them compared to 33.3 against right-handers.

Pant equals Dhoni’s record:

Rishabh Pant took six catches to equal MS Dhoni's record of most catches by an India wicketkeeper in a Test innings. Pant caught Usman Khawaja, Peter Handscomb, Tim Paine, Mitchell Starc, Travis Head and Josh Hazlewood, thus equalling Dhoni’s record against New Zealand in Wellington, 2009.

Vijay disappoints:

Since 2017, Murali Vijay averages 8.77 in the second innings of Tests. He looked good to change that here till he chased a wide Mitchell Starc delivery to edge to second slip. Nevertheless, that 63-run opening stand meant that for the first time since 2004, India reached the 19th over of an Australian Test without losing a wicket.

Solid Pujara:

Pujara has now faced 373 balls in this Test. The last time a visiting batsman faced as many deliveries in an Adelaide Test was Kohli in 2014, who faced 359.

Gaining upper hand:

India now have an overall lead of 166 runs. Only four times have a team successfully chased a target of 200 or more in an Adelaide Test.

The way (Cheteshwar) Pujara played in the first innings was the blueprint for this wicket.

TRAVIS HEAD, on India No 3’s century

On Days Four and Five, it gets easier to bat and 300-plus totals have been scaled easily.

HEAD, on the challenge of batting last