Australia fast bowler Josh Hazlewood on Sunday absolved Mitchell Marsh of blame for committing one of cricket's biggest sins -- dropping a catch which would have seen the back of India superstar Virat Kohli.

Kohli ended the long drought and reached his 28th Test hundred with a single, sparking wild celebrations at the world's biggest cricket stadium in Ahmedabad.

India batter Virat Kohli backed his inspiration Cristiano Ronaldo as he backed his role model after Portugal crashed out of the World Cup quarter-final against Morocco on Saturday.

India's media came down heavily on their star cricketers on Wednesday after England romped to a seven-wicket victory in the fifth Test, calling the bowlers too wayward and questioning Virat Kohli's place in the side.

Skipper Steve Smith scored an unbeaten 178 as Australia were bowled out for 451 in the afternoon session on day two of the third Test against India in Ranchi.

Under-fire skipper Steve Smith cracked a gritty century as he combined with the recalled Glenn Maxwell to give Australia the opening day honours in the third Test against India in Ranchi Thursday.

Indian skipper Virat Kohli said on Wednesday he had no regrets over a war of words with his Australian counterpart Steve Smith as the two sides prepare to resume their bitter battle for Test supremacy.

Keeping a lid on emotion will be nearly as important as executing gameplans for both India and Australia when the world's top two teams continue their captivating series with the third Test in Ranchi on Thursday.

Former Test wicketkeeper Ian Healy says he's "losing respect" for India captain Virat Kohli, and believes his confrontational attitude is heaping pressure on his teammates.

Australian seamer Josh Hazlewood took three wickets, including the prized scalp of skipper Virat Kohli, to damage India's fightback on the third day of a closely-fought second Test Monday.

Tensions flared in a gripping opening hour of day two of the second Test, with rival skippers Steve Smith and Virat Kohli sharing a heated chat for several overs.

Former Australia Test batsman and current national selector Mark Waugh has labelled Virat Kohli's dismissal on day one in Bengaluru as a “brain fade”.

Off-spinner Nathan Lyon claimed a career-best haul of eight wickets to help Australia bowl out India for a paltry 189 and take opening day honours in the second Test in Bangalore on Saturday.

Mitchell Starc may have won the opening duel against Indian skipper Virat Kohli by getting the star batsman out for a duck in the first Test, but the Australian fast bowler insists the battle has just begun.

Australia's superstar skipper Steve Smith had joined another exclusive group of batsmen following his brilliant hundred in the first Test against India in Pune.

Australia hailed the extraordinary victory by their cricketers in the first Test against India in Pune on Sunday, the plaudits just about drowning out the expressions of stunned surprise at a triumph almost no one expected.

For the first time in 933 days, India captain Virat Kohli has been dismissed in Test cricket without scoring.

Australia's left-arm spinner Steve O'Keefe dispatched six Indian batsmen in just 24 balls after lunch as the hosts collapsed to 105 all out in the opening Test in Pune on Friday.

Mahmudullah Riyad is one of the two batsmen who will have to negotiate the most crucial phase of the Test's fifth day today.

India skipper Virat Kohli has termed Bangladesh’s first bilateral tour of India as ‘historic’ and hopes that the Tigers visit India more often.