SYDNEY, Jan 9 (Reuters) - Australia removed Ajinkya Rahane and Hanuma Vihari in the opening session to leave India on 180 for four at lunch on the third day of the third test on Saturday, still 158 runs in arrears.
Cheteshwar Pujara had ground out 42 runs from 144 balls at the break and will resume his 38-run partnership with Rishabh Pant, who was 29 not out, in the second session.
The tourists resumed on 96-2 looking to bat through a sunny day at Sydney Cricket Ground and overhaul Australia's first-innings tally of 338.
Precision bowling made life difficult for the Indian batsmen, however, and skipper Rahane had added 17 runs to his tally - six of them from one mighty heave over long-on - when he chopped on a Pat Cummins (NYSE:CMI) fizzer for 22.
Vihari had scored four runs from 38 deliveries when he took off for an optimistic single, only for Josh Hazlewood to scoop up the ball and shy the stumps from mid-off with the batsman well short of the crease.
It was a spectacular piece of fielding from the big paceman to match Friday's effort from India's Ravindra Jadeja, who ran out Steve Smith for 131 to end Australia's innings.
The hard-fought series is tied 1-1 after the first two tests in Adelaide and Melbourne with the final clash scheduled to start in Brisbane next week.
Cricket Australia are pressing ahead with plans to conclude the series at the Gabba despite reports of concerns in the India camp over what level of quarantine they will be forced to endure in Brisbane, which went into three days of lockdown on Friday.