A half-century by Usman Khawaja guided Australia into a first innings lead after Matt Kuhnemann took 5-16. Ravi Jadeja then struck four times but Australia held a handy lead of 47 runs at stumps.

It was a frenetic opening session to the third Test being held at Holkar Stadium, Indore after the match was moved at late notice from Dharamshala. India were dismissed shortly after lunch for 109 before Australia went steadily about building a first innings lead with their progress only punctuated by Jadeja's strikes.

When Travis Head fell lbw to him for 9 to the tenth ball of Australia’s reply it looked as though they would also succumb to a tricky surface but a second wicket partnership of 96 ensured Australia would be in early control of the Test.

Marnus Labuschagne was given a couple of lives when he was bowled off a Jadeja no-ball before he’d scored and then, again, when he could have fallen lbw to Ashwin for 7 if India had reviewed.

Eventually he played back to another Jadeja delivery and was bowled for 31 but, by then, Australia were only one run short of India’s total.

Usman Khawaja reached 60 batting in his usual composed fashion but, looking well settled, mishit a sweep shot to Shubman Gill on the boundary.

Similarly, Steve Smith seemed to have found some of his old Indian form as he put away the sweep shot and started using his feet against the spinners. He scored a lovely boundary through the leg side to take him to 26 when Jadeja’s next ball spat up dust as it took the edge with Srikar Bharat taking a fine catch behind the stumps.

Those late blows kept India in the game but Australia went to stumps on 4-156 with a healthy lead of 47 runs.

India will find it hard to explain what had happened during the morning session after Rohit Sharma won the toss. Whether or not there was some complacency after winning the first two Tests, India didn’t appear to be entirely focused on the task at hand even with a place in the World Test Championship available. In contrast, Australia looked like a team that was determined to get take something from the series, welcoming back Mitchell Starc and Cameron Green and being led by Smith.

India’s batters seemed to make the decision that they weren’t going to last long on the turning track with three of the top five getting out to aggressive shots taking the lead from their captain.Rohit came down the track to the last ball of Kuhnemann’s first over and was stumped for 12. In his next over, Kuhnemann removed the other opener when Gill, having scored 21 on his return to the side, pushed tentatively at a ball pitched wide of off stump and was held by Smith at slip.

At the other end Lyon immediately found prodigious turn with his second delivery cutting back fiercely to bowl a bemused Cheteshwar Pujara for 1. In his next over, only an inside edge prevented Ravi Jadeja being dismissed lbw for 4 but the pressure seemed to get to the all-rounder as he smashed the next ball straight to short extra cover.

Interestingly, there are two types of soil used at the Holkar Stadium. The local soil is referred to as “black” but several of the strips are made from “red” soil that has been brought in from Mumbai that is supposed to produce more bounce. The imported soil is generally used in the domestic Ranji Trophy tournament but it’s a black soil pitch that it being used in the Test and provides a surface more like the one used at Delhi in the second match of the series.The ball was turning so much that Nathan Lyon, who isn’t renowned as a bowler that finds a lot of sideways movement, was getting some balls to pitch outside a right hander’s off stump and go on to miss leg.

Three balls after the dismissal of Jadeja and Kuhnemann grabbed his third when Shreyas Iyer fell for a duck playing on to the second ball that he faced. India had lost 5-18 in thirty-three deliveries.

All of this after Smith had the worst possible start as stand-in captain for Pat Cummins. He lost the toss and then, when Starc bowled the first over of the match there were two opportunities to dismiss Rohit if Australia had decided to use a review. First was a faint edge to the first ball of the game and then Starc hit the Indian captain’s pads with the fourth delivery and a review would, again, have been successful.

Virat Kohli brought some stability to the innings, top scoring with 22 before he fell lbw as Todd Murphy took his only wicket and another lbw decision saw Lyon grab his third when Srikar Bharat went for 17. It was the last wicket of an action filled opening morning that saw India go to lunch on 7-84.

After the interval the innings didn’t last long as Kuhnemann completed his first five wicket haul in Tests. He had Ravi Ashwin caught behind for 3 and then trapped Umesh Yadav, who’d replaced Mohammed Shami in the side, lbw for 17 that had included two sixes.

India’s chaotic innings finished in line with previous events when Mohammed Siraj, who was yet to score, was run out going for a second run.

Surprisingly, there have been five occasions when India have been bowled out for less than 109 in their first innings and they’ve lost them all with one exception…..when, having scored 104, they beat Australia by 13 runs at the Wanhkede Stadium in Mumbai in 2004.

More to come.