ADELAIDE: Ajinkya Rahane ran out his captain Virat Kohli after a horror mix-up, sparking a mini collapse to gift Australia an advantage over India after an intense opening day of the day-night first Test at the Adelaide Oval on Thursday.
Master batsman Kohli looked on track for a 28th Test century after knuckling down to steady the ship when he came in at 32 for two.
But in the final session of the day, Rahane pushed at a Nathan Lyon delivery and made to run, only to bail out, leaving Kohli stranded in the middle of the pitch after his battling 74.
It spoiled a fighting recovery from India who lost Prithvi Shaw to a fiery Mitchell Starc in the first over of the day and were struggling when Pat Cummins snared Mayank Agarwal.
Regarded as one of the greatest batsmen across all formats, Kohli has failed to reach three-figure mark across all formats in 2020
To make matters worse, Rahane fell for 42 soon after and then Hanuma Vihari went for 16, leaving the visitors on 233 for six at the close and Australia in charge of the first Test either side has played since early in the year due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Wriddhiman Saha was not out nine and Ravi Ashwin unbeaten on 15.
Starc was the pick of the Australian bowlers with 2-49, with Josh Hazlewood, Cummins and Lyon all getting one each.
"We're very happy with where we're at, but still have a lot of work to do," said Lyon.
"Obviously he (Kohli) was batting extremely well so pretty happy with that one. Obviously a wicket like that, or a run out especially Virat Kohli, was massive."
A dogged Cheteshwar Pujara (43 from 160 balls) and Kohli had led the fightback.
Kohli, in his only Test before heading home for the birth of his first child, was fortunate to survive on five, nudging a short ball off bat-pad from Cummins' bowling, with Matthew Wade just failing to get his hands underneath the ball.
He also benefited from what appeared to be a blunder by Tim Paine opting not to review a catch behind, which replays showed may have come off his glove.
Undeterred, Kohli brought up a stubborn 23rd Test half-century with a single off Cummins in front of a coronavirus-limited crowd.
Twilight is supposed to be the toughest time to bat in a day-night Test with the ball zipping around more than normal, but Kohli looked untroubled until Rahane's meltdown.
"We were in a very good position," said Pujara.
"But I feel we are just six down, Ash can bat, Saha can bat, even our lower order will try and contribute as many runs as possible."
"So we still have a very good chance of getting close to 275, 300 and you never know we can get 350 also," he added.