Rain stops Australia's advance as India struggles at Gabba with score 48-4 in Cricket

Written by Ian Ransom

MELBOURNE -Australia captain Pat Cummins removed Rishabh Pant during a rare break in the rain on day three of the third test against India in Brisbane on Monday but the poor weather returned to halt the hosts' charge.

India were 48 for four, trailing Australia's first-innings total by 397 runs, as another downpour brought tea early at the Gabba.

Opener KL Rahul was unbeaten on 30 with India skipper Rohit Sharma yet to score.

Australia's bowlers could send down only 14.1 overs after being bowled out for 445 in the morning but paceman Cummins did well to have Pant caught behind for nine in the first over following a rain break.

Two balls later, following a glorious cover drive for four by Rahul off Mitchell Starc, the players trudged off the ground again.

Several rain breaks earlier, Starc had taken two wickets in six balls with the help of namesake Mitchell Marsh, while Josh Hazlewood removed Virat Kohli as India's reply got off to a dreadful start.

Starc struck with the second ball of the innings, Yashasvi Jaiswal flicking a shot off his pads to be out for four, with Marsh jogging across from square leg to take an easy catch.

Big left-armer Starc then dismissed Shubman Gill for one as the number three drove at a full delivery to send a thick edge to Marsh, who leapt to his left in the gully to take a screamer of a catch.

Kohli lasted only 16 balls for his three runs, nibbling at a Hazlewood delivery to be caught behind.

Rahul survived, though, after wearing a painful blow on his wrist from Hazlewood's first ball of the morning.

Australia resumed in the morning on 405 for seven, losing their last three wickets for the addition of 40 runs.

Wicketkeeper Alex Carey contributed a valuable 70 before caught slogging, becoming recalled paceman Akash Deep's first and only wicket of the innings.

Jasprit Bumrah finished with 6-76, adding Starc to his haul after the tailender made a useful 18, while Mohammed Siraj bowled Nathan Lyon for two to finish with 2-97.

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