Ravichandran Ashwin picked up three wickets before Travis Head's fighting half-century kept Australia in the hunt, on Day 2 of the first Test in Adelaide, on Friday.

Head was unbeaten on 61 from 149 balls to rally Australia to 191 for seven in 88 overs at close on the second day. They trail India by 59 runs after the visitors were bowled out for 250 in their first innings.

Mitchell Starc was not out on 10 at the close of play as Australia's top order struggled with the bat before Head played the rescue act.

Senior spinners Ashwin caused Australia a lot of problems with the ball, taking three for 50 in 33 overs. Pacers Jasprit Bumrah and Ishant Sharma also chipped away at the wickets as they took two wickets each.

Earlier, India's innings lasted just one delivery on the second day as they were bowled out for 250 in their first innings when Mohammed Shami was caught down the leg side off Josh Hazlewood.

The match is interestingly poised and both teams will be keen to grab the lead on Day 3.

While India need three wickets to finish off Australia, the hosts would be relying on Head to continue batting and take them past the 250-run mark.

Surprise move from Kohli as Ashwin continues with the new ball. Head comes down the track and drives Ashwin to long-off for one followed by a single to Mitchell Starc to get him off the mark.

Head drives the last ball on the leg side for another single to help him retain the strike.

In the next over, the left-hander turns the first ball from Bumrah square on the leg side for a couple before he slashes at a wide ball but is beaten.

Starc throws his bat as he miscues it on the off-side but manages to clear Ishant inside the circle and gets two runs before he defends the rest of the over.

Bumrah gets the ball to kick off extra as Head goes for the cut shot but is beaten again and is lucky not to have edged it.

Two overs left in the day as Shami gets his first crack with the second new ball, ahead of Ishant.

The first ball is full as Starc goes for the drive but gets a thick outside edge past the slips for a four.

A slightly short ball is punched to deep point by Starc for a single and Head plays the cut shot two balls later for another run.

A single to Cummins as the duo raise the 50-run stand for the seventh wicket as they continue to keep the Indian bowlers at bay.

Australia are 177 for six in 80 overs as India take the second new ball immediately and bring back Bumrah.

He makes the breakthrough with the wicket of Cummins, who offers no shot and is given out leg before wicket. And no surprise that Cummins wants to review the decision.

The impact is outside the line but because Cummins was not offering a shot, he is ruled out leg before wicket as the ball is going on to hit the stumps.

Australia are 177 for seven in 81 overs, still trailing India by 73 runs.

India looking to race through their overs and get up to the 80-over mark without much damage so they can take the second new ball with their pacers rested.

A much better over from Vijay this time around as he concedes just a single.

Cummins is nearly done in by Ashwin as he offers no shot but the ball turns sharply and nearly hits the stumps.

Vijay has settled into a good rhythm as he bowls in a good channel, forcing Head to defend and he also misses out a full toss hitting it to the fielder at midwicket.

Just a single from the last four overs including a maiden as the spin duo of Ashwin and Vijay look to build the pressure with some tight bowling and then look for wickets with the new ball.

Cummins comes forward to Ashwin as he gets the inside edge which falls just short of KL Rahul at short leg.

The veteran spinner continues to keep things as he sends down another maiden over, the fourth in the last five overs.

Vijay continues as he drops short and also offers some width and Head cashes in as he cuts it behind point for a four.

A maiden over for Ashwin as Head defends carefully before Shami comes in to replace Ishant. He gives away four runs in the over, including a leg bye and three singles.

Head drills a wide delivery from Ashwin through the covers for one to bring up Australia's 150, in the 70th over.

The left-hander crashes a wide half-volley from Shami through the covers for a four and then drills the last ball straight down the ground for another boundary to inch closer to his half-century.

Ashwin gets it to turn big from the rough, beating right-hander Pat Cummins as it goes over the stumps for three byes as wicketkeeper Pant is late to react.

Ashwin tries the quicker ball which slips down the leg side for two more byes as Pant is slow to react again.

Part-time off-spinner Murali Vijay comes into the attack as the pacers are given a rest.

Head punches a short ball to sweeper cover for a single to bring up his fifty, from 103 balls.

Ashwin comes back into the attack, the first time in the post-tea session. He switches to over the wicket to left-hander Head, operating on the middle and leg stump line.

Head comes down the track and hits it uppishly past short leg before he pulls the last ball to fine leg for one.

Ishant goes short and wide as Head blasts it square on the off-side for a four and he drives the fifth ball through the covers for the same result.

Head turns Ashwin on the leg side for one before Cummins get a thick outside edge for two runs.

Ishant drifts wide as Head drives it on the up through the covers for two runs before taking one on the leg side two balls later.

Cummins taps the fifth ball to point for one and Head cuts the last ball to thirdman for another single.

The onus will now be on Head to stay as long as possible and build a partnership with captain Paine and the lower order.

He watchfully plays out a maiden over from Shami before Bumrah nearly strikes again with the wicket of Paine, who is lucky not to have edged a virtual unplayable delivery from the pacer.

Paine clips the fifth ball through midwicket for a single to get off the mark.

Shami drops slightly short as Paine steers it past the slips for a four before he defends the rest of the over.

Ishant comes into the attack as he replaces Shami as Ashwin continues to be held back after tea.

He bowls a few length balls to Paine before sending down a quick bouncer which the Aussie captain does well to avoid.

A couple of balls later he gets his man as Paine is tentative to get on the front foot to a full delivery which moves away to get the edge and is caught behind for five.

Australia slip to 127 for six in 63 overs, still trailing India by 123 runs.

Pacer Jasprit Bumrah will kick off proceedings with the ball after the tea interval.

Travis Head defends the first two balls before he clips the third on the leg side for one and Handscomb watchfully blocks the last three balls.

Pace from both ends as Shami is called in from the other end, with Ashwin getting a deserved break after a lot of bowling in the post-lunch session.

Head clips the first ball on the leg side for one and Handscomb taps the fourth ball to point for a single.

Bumrah gets the breakthrough after the tea interval with the wicket of Handscomb, who is caught behind for 34.

Beautifully set up by Bumrah as the previous delivery came in sharply to beat the right-hander, who narrowly survived the LBW appeal. And two balls later, he bowls the perfect outswinger as Handscomb plays away from his body, only to get the edge and is caught by wicketkeeper Pant.

The last ball comes in a long way as Tim Pane is beaten on the inside edge and the slip cordon goes up in appeal but the umpire is unmoved.

Ravichandran Ashwin picked up three wickets to reduce Australia to 117 for four at tea on Day 2 of the first Test in Adelaide on Friday.

Ashwin registered wonderful figures of three for 38 in 22 overs to give India the upperhand.

Peter Handscomb rallied the hosts with a fluent 33, while Travis Head was unbeaten on 17.

Ashwin bagged both wickets to fall in the second session. He dismissed Shaun Marsh in the first over of the post-lunch session as the left-hander was bowled off an inside edge for two.

Usman Khawaja, who played a patient innings of 28 from 125 balls, was given caught behind following the DRS review.

Earlier, India's innings lasted just one delivery on the second day as they were bowled out for 250 in their first innings when Mohammed Shami was caught down the leg side off Josh Hazlewood.

Ishant Sharma struck in the first over of the innings as he bowled Aaron Finch for a duck, while debutant Marcus Harris made 26 before he was caught at silly point off Ashwin.

Lot of bounce and turn for Ashwin from the rough as Handscomb is hit on the body while trying to defend. But he keeps using his feet as he drives the fifth ball to long-on for a single.

Shami comes back into the attack and he starts with a short ball. Handscomb growing in confidence as he pulls powerfully through midwicket for a four to take his score to 31.

Head has done well to keep out Ashwin, look to play late and not trying anything fancy with tea round the corner.

Shami has a confident appeal catch down the leg side turned down against Head with the impact looking a bit high but Kohli decides to go for the review.

It is a waste of an appeal as the ball goes off the thigh pads and has missed the bat.

The next ball is slightly short as Head punches it through the covers and get three runs.

Shami produces a cracking delivery to beat Handscomb all ends up, the ball moving away late and drawing the batsman into the poke beating going past the edge.

Bumrah gets the ball to come in as Head turns it on the leg side for two runs before he takes a single off the fifth.

Head gives Ashwin the charge and taps it down to mid-off for one and Handscomb picks a single to long-on.

A change in the bowling as Ishant replaces Bumrah after the latter bowled a short spell of just three overs.

Ishant starts off with a maiden over to Handscomb, who is content to play with caution.

In the next over, Head turns Ashwin on the leg side for one to bring up Australia's 100, in the 48th over.

Handscomb comes down the track as Ashwin drifts it wide forcing the right-hander to adjust and block it.

Ashwin getting good sharp turn into right-hander Handscomb who nearly gets an inside edge to short leg as the Indians appeal but in vain. He then goes for the drive which falls just short of the cover fielder.

Top over from Ashwin, giving Handscomb a lot to think about with his superb bowling.

Handscomb attempts to drive Ishant through the covers but is beaten as the Australian batsmen continue to struggle.

Two singles off Ashwin's 20th over as Australia struggle to 104 for four in 50 overs, still trailing India by 146 runs.

Bumrah comes back into the attack, replacing Ishant. He keeps up the pressure with a good testing over to right-hander Handscomb, who is beaten outside the off-stump once as he pokes at a wide one.

Ashwin has done well not only to keep up the pressure from his end, but has also chipped away at the wickets.

Handscomb started off positively but has cut down on his strokes since the wicket of Khawaja.

Travis Head has also started off on a cautious note. He releases the pressure as he cuts a short ball from Ashwin past point for a four and then clips the last ball on the leg side for one.

Shami comes back into the attack. He gets Handscomb pushing at a wide one as the right-hander gets an edge which doesn't carry and goes wide of the slips for a four.

Ashwin has the close in fielders excited as he gets some sharp turn and Handscomb flicks it uppishly past short leg.

Shami making things happen. Handscomb gets another boundary off the edge, this time he top edges the pull shot which goes over the wicketkeeper for a four.

But the next ball comes off the middle as Handscomb slaps it square past point off the backfoot for another four, his third in eight balls.

Shami makes a good comeback with a beauty, a full delivery which moves away late and Handscomb must consider himself not to have edged it.

The last ball is poor as Shami strays on the pads and Handscomb can easily flick it square for the third four of the over, as he races to 20 with the help of four boundaries.

Khawaja looks to drive Ashwin but it goes off the outside half of the bat to point before the left-hander offers no shot to the next two balls and then blocks the last two.

Shami produces another superb delivery as Handscomb playing away from the body is beaten as he pokes at a wide outswinger.

The next ball comes in sharply as the right-hander is hit on the pads but no chance of a leg before that time.

Khawaja calmly collects a single as he turns Ashwin on the leg side and Handscomb clips the next to midwicket for one.

Ashwin then produces a cracker to dismiss Khawaja. The line was close to the off-stump which drew Khawaja forward as he tries to defend, but some extra bounce and turn accounted for the left-hander as the ball kissed the gloves.

Umpire Kumara Dharmasena is not interested as India go for the review and the Hotspot shows that the ball has kissed the gloves which means the decision is overturned.

Khawaja walks back after a patient innings of 28 from 125 balls as Australia are reduced to 87 for four.

Ishant Sharma from the other end. Khawaja continues to defend solidly as Ishant comes closer to the stumps before the left-hander turns the fourth ball on the leg side for one.

In the next over, Ashwin produces another chance as Khawaja, who has been patient so far, goes for the cover drive but gets a thick outside edge which goes past the slip fielder for two runs and then picks one to point.

Ishant bowling in the channel just outside the off-stump as Khawaja is keen to just block things and get his eye in after the lunch break.

Right-hander Peter Handscomb on strike against Ashwin as the fielder is pushed back to deep midwicket.

Handscomb comes down the track and defends Ashwin a couple of times before he clips the fifth ball to deep midwicket for one to get off the mark.

Ashwin bowling a probing line to left-hander Khawaja, who is again keen on block everything as Australia look to rally after the dismissal of Marsh.

India have kept control of proceedings with Australia on 67 for three in 34 overs, scoring at below two per over.

Ravichandran Ashwin starts off with the ball in the post-lunch session. Shaum Marsh turns the first ball on the leg side for one and Khawaja does the same off the fifth ball.

Marsh falls off the last ball of the over as he goes hard at a wide full delivery only to inside edge it back on to his stumps.

A perfect start for India after lunch as Marsh is dismissed for two, leaving Australia in a spot of bother on 59 for three in 28 overs.

Australia adopted a cautious approach with the bat as they crawled to 57 for two in 27 overs at lunch on Day 2 in the first Test against India in Adelaide on Friday.

Ishant Sharma struck in the first over of the inning as he bowled Aaron Finch for a duck, while debutant Marcus Harris made 26 before he was caught at silly point off Ravichandran Ashwin.

India's bowlers, especially the pacers, were guilty of bowling it too wide or too short and not making most of the new ball.

The only positive for India is that while they have picked up just two wickets in the session, they have not allowed Australia to get away with the scoring.

Ashwin makes the much-needed breakthrough for India with the wicket of Harris, who is caught at silly point for 26.

Harris came forward to defend as he got an inside edge on to his pads which was taken by Vijay standing close in.

Harris is replaced by another left-hander Shaun Marsh, who watchfully defends the rest of the over.

It looks like Khawaja has shut shop and is playing for lunch as he has been for the last half an hour. He continues to defend as he plays out another maiden over from Bumrah.

Marsh gets off the mark with one on the leg side off Ashwin before Khawaja finally takes his score to 18 with a quick run, his first run after a long gap of 45 balls.

Khawaja nearly hits one straight to the covers as he comes down the track and looks for the drive but is not in total control and is lucky that it fell short of the fielder.

Ishant to bowl the final over of the morning session. The first ball is down the leg side as Pant half stops it to concede a leg bye and Khawaja picks a run to midwicket.

Ishant then strays a long way down the leg side as wicketkeeper Pant is unable to stop it despite the dive and gives away four byes.

Marsh gets a leg bye before Khawaja takes two runs to square leg as Australia reach 57 for two in 27 overs.

Khawaja is looking to play a role similar to India's No. 3 Pujara. He has played 20 dot balls in a row now as he looks to get used to the pitch and bowlers and then consolidate later on.

Shami not making the batsmen play enough as Khawaja continues to leave.

In the next over, Harris has a close shave as he comes forward to defend as it falls just short of the silly point fielder.

Two balls later, he comes down the track and lofts Ashwin back over his head for a four.

Some bad news for India as Shami has to go off the field with some discomfort in his shoulder after bowling just four overs in his first spell.

Meanwhile BCCI confirms that there is no problem with Shami and 'he will be back on the field after this over.'

Bumrah comes back into the attack. Khawaja continues to defend as he plays out a maiden over from the pacer. The left-hander has not scored a run for the last 30 balls but Australia won't mind as the two batsmen are grinding out the Indian bowlers.

Ashwin gives some flight and also some width as Harris slaps it through the covers for a four to continue his positive approach against the senior spinner.

Another bowling change for India as off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin replaces Bumrah, who bowled a disappointing first spell of five overs for 24 runs.

Harris defends the first three balls before he chips down the track and lofts Ashwin over the covers for a couple.

Shami bowls it wide as Khawaja has no problems in playing out the over, offering no shot to four of the six deliveries bowled.

Harris looking to unsettle as he again charges the experienced spinner and goes for the lofted shot over the off-side but hasn't timed it too well and picks up two runs.

Khawaja is looking rock solid and is willing to bide his time out in the middle.

Shami has started off tidily, with three maiden overs in a row but India need wickets at the moment.

Harris throws his bat at a wide delivery from Ashwin, hitting him through the covers for a single.

It has been slow going for Australia but Harris and Khawaja are slowly but surely looking to lay down a good foundation for the middle order.

Harris slaps a full delivery from Ishant straight down the ground for two runs but is beaten next ball as it moves away enough to past the edge.

But he does well to solidly defend the rest over, looking to play as straight as possible.

Bumrah drifts on the pads as Khawaja clips it behind square for two runs and then drives the next through the covers for another couple.

Bumrah then strays down the leg side as Khawaja glances it fine for a four as Australia reach 30 for one in 10 overs.

The first bowling change for India as Mohammed Shami comes in for Ishant, who bowled a good first spell of one for six in five overs.

He starts with one down the leg side as wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant half stops it to give away a bye before Khawaja plays out the rest of the over.

Ishant bowls it full and slightly wide as Khawaja drives it through the covers for two runs and then taps the third ball on the leg side for one.

Ishant tries the bouncer but Harris is happy to duck under it as he continues to defend against the new ball.

The two left-handed openers not having too much of trouble out in the middle. Bumrah has struggled with his rhythm early on and has not done much so far with the new ball.

Ishant bowls a good delivery to Khawaja, which is right up there, as the left-hander does well to defend it.

Bumrah tempts Harris with the full delivery which moves as he goes for the drive but is beaten. The wicketkeeper and slip cordon go up in appeal but Bumrah is not interested and rightly so as the ball missed the bat comfortably.

The next ball comes in as Harris looks to turn it across the line on the leg side but misses and is hit on the pads.

The debutant then is caught in two minds as he looks to leave before hanging his bat out at the last minute and gets an edge which goes past the slips for a four.

He clips the fifth ball behind square for two runs and keeps strike with one from the last ball.

Jasprit Bumrah to bowl the second over. The first ball is full and on the pads as debutant Marcus Harris clips it through square leg for three runs to get off the mark in Test cricket.

The next ball is again down the leg side as Khawaja misses the glance and the appeal for catch down the leg side is turned down.

Bumrah continues to drift on the pads as Khawaja clips it square on the leg side for a couple.

Bumrah switches to round the wicket as Khawaja defends the next two balls before he clips the last ball behind square for two runs.

Ishant from round the wicket as a watchful Harris defends the over to play out the over, trying to leave as much as possible.

Bumrah also from round the wicket. He goes slightly short as Khawaja, waiting on the backfoot, punches it wide of mid-on for a single and Harris blocks the last three balls.

Ishant Sharma strikes in the first over of the innings with the wicket of Aaron Finch, who is bowled for a duck.

Finch had survived a LBW shout off the previous delivery as he offered no shot to the incoming ball. However, he went for the big drive through the off-side but was beaten completely and bowled for a duck off the third ball of the innings.

An early wicket for India will boost their hopes after a disappointing effort with the bat.

The in-form Usman Khawaja comes in early at No. 3 as Ishant slants it across him and the left-hander is happy to leave.

Josh Hazlewood wraps up India's innings with the first delivery of Day 2.

Mohammed Shami looks to pull a short ball down the leg side but misses out and is caught by wicketkeeper Paine for six. Shami went too hard at the short ball and not only misses out on some free runs, but also gives his wicket away pretty tamely.

India are bowled out for 250 in 88 overs in the first innings. Cheteshwar Pujara single-handedly rescued India with his brilliant innings of 123, while the rest of the batsmen failed to live up to expectations.

Hazlewood was the highest wicket-taker with three for 52, while Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins and Nathan Lyon took two wickets each.

Welcome to the coverage of Day 2 of the first Test between Australia and India in Adelaide on Friday.

Cheteshwar Pujara struck a defiant century in an Adelaide Oval furnace to rescue India after Australia's pacemen threatened to dominate day one of the series-opening Test on Thursday.

The India number three battled a hamstring strain late in the day but was a rock even as his partners crumbled around him, pushing India to 250 for nine at the close with a brutal assault on the second new ball.

Unbroken by dogged and often fierce pace bowling, Pujara was dismissed for 123 by a piece of brilliant fielding, with Pat Cummins swooping in to throw down the stumps.

That was the last play on a day of scorching heat, leaving tail-ender Mohammed Shami on six, with Jasprit Bumrah the final batsman to resume on day two.

Pujara's 16th Test century saved India after a disastrous start that saw them slump to 86 for five after lunch, falling to a combination of dreadful shot-making and quality Australian pace after captain Virat Kohli won the toss.

Pujara anchored vital partnerships with young wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant and spinner Ravichandran Ashwin before completing his century with a flick off his pads after scoring his 5,000th run in Tests.

Having crawled to his half-century, Pujara ramped up as he ran out of partners, slogging a couple of sixes as shadows crept across the ground.

India had resumed on 143 for six after tea with seamer Cummins having Ashwin edge to the slips for 25 and Mitchell Starc bowling Ishant Sharma for four.

Spinner Nathan Lyon struck twice to expose India's tail after lunch, having the recalled Rohit Sharma slog-sweep to a fielder for 37 before Pant fell for 25 feathering an edge behind.

Five of India's top six were out to loose shots, including captain Kohli, who fell for three to a stunning one-handed catch in the gully by a leaping Usman Khawaja.