India vs Australia | First session of Day 3 will be crucial one, says Jasprit Bumrah

The Indian Cricket team ended the third day of the first Test match of the Test series on a sound second innings score of 151/3 with the total lead amounting to 166 runs. Banking on small innings from KL Rahul(44runs), Murali Vijay(18 runs) and Virat Kohli(34 runs) and with the help of an unbeaten 40 from Cheteshwar Pujara at the other end India managed to put on the total. 

"(The match is) slightly in our favor because we have a good lead. The first session (of day four) will be very important. If we capitalize on that, we will be in a very good place in this match," India paceman Jasprit Bumrah said after the day's play.

Pujara, who scored a solid century in the first innings when the batsmen from both the teams struggled to make runs, is still not out on the personal unbeaten score of 40 runs and along with him is India’s vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane who is unbeaten on a score of one run. On the fourth day if Pujara stays at the crease for India even for the first session then it would be difficult for the hosts to make a comeback into the match.

"He's (Pujara) shown a lot of patience, that is the key element in Test cricket. He knows his game in and out, he knows his strengths.

"He knows to leave the ball and he's playing with the bowlers' patience as well. He has done that over the years and has started to play with a lot of maturity. That's his strength," Bumrah praised Pujara.

One major threat for the Indian team would be the opposition spinner Nathan Lyon who troubled the Indian batsmen in the first innings and also got the crucial wicket of Indian skipper Virat Kohli in the last hour of the fourth day’s play. 

"In the fourth innings he will obviously play a crucial role. We saw Nathan Lyon using the rough to his advantage so I think (Ashwin) knows what he has to do," said Bumrah as he looks forward to the spin of Ashwin coming into play on a fifth-day wicket.