It was reverse swing delivered by the powerful Umesh Yadav that had as much say as the spin of Ravichandran Ashwin in Australia’s hectic loss of morning wickets, including a pair of away fading rockets to take out the off stumps of Mitchell Starc and Todd Murphy.

Starting out with an advantage of 47, there was plenty of calm and no undue haste about the way Handscomb and Green took up their task. Only 30 runs accrued in that first hour, but you will go a long way to see better batting by a pair of Australians on so difficult a surface.

As he watched his leg-before-wicket (lbw) decision referral play out on Holkar Stadium’s big screen, Green threw his head back in exasperation when the ball-tracking verdict was relayed. Not only due to the closeness of the call, but also with foreknowledge of what may follow.

Rohit Sharma’s call to try for Yadav’s pace and reverse swing was inspired after some quieter overs by his spinners, presenting an exceedingly difficult set of questions for new arrivals to the crease at either end.

Starting 88 in arrears, Shubman Gill and Rohit made it to lunch without loss, but the former was soon gone after lifting his head and trying to pummel Lyon into the stands. Rohit’s innings was more considered, but he was ultimately beaten on the back foot by Lyon’s bite.

One Matt Kuhnemann grenade, which Virat Kohli tried to leave, jumped high enough to take the edge of his raised bat before flying for four. Kohli managed another, more authoritative, boundary from Kuhnemann, only to be lbw when the next ball skidded through low.

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Ravindra Jadeja found himself progressively tangled in the web of Lyon. His stay ended minutes before tea with a three-ball sequence that had him perilously close to lbw on the back foot, beaten pointless by a prancing off-break next ball, then very lbw to a ball that straightened down the line.

Lyon’s appeal may well have been audible in Ahmedabad, but it took a referral to the third umpire to raise Joel Wilson’s finger. Shreyas Iyer emerged for the evening intent on counter-attack. He targeted the short balls of a tiring Kuhnemann to put India in front, and the lead was soon growing rapidly.

Smith recalled Starc hoping for reverse swing. It was an inviting ball on leg stump that Shreyas clipped cleanly in the vicinity of Khawaja, who dived with both hands like a goalkeeper to take the chance - remarkably limber after spending time off the field with a back complaint.

After Lyon made quick work of KS Bharat, Marnus Labuschagne spilled a precious chance off Pujara when Kuhnemann coaxed a miscue. Australian frustration was shortlived as Lyon struck Ashwin in front the next over, though again needed DRS to get the verdict.

Pujara leapt down the track to hoist Lyon for six, but Smith’s moment of magic took all smiles off the home side’s faces. Indore, tossed into the Test schedule in place of Dharamshala, may prove to be a super sub for Australia.

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