Ajinkya Rahane and Shardul Thakur kept India in the game with a rearguard 109-run stand, but Australia still managed to take a massive 173-run lead on Day Three of the World Test Championship final here on Friday.

Having reached 260 for six at lunch, India could only manage 36 runs in the afternoon session to end with 296 all out in 69.4 overs. Australia, who made 469 in their first innings, were 120 for four at the time of going to press with Marnus Labuschagne and Cameron Green batting on 39 and six respectively.