Virat Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane scored unbeaten half-centuries to leave the second Test against Australia in Perth tantalisingly poised at the end of the second day.

India were 172 for 3, trailing Australia by 154 runs with Kohli on 82 and Rahane on 51.

Australia resumed at 277 for six, with overnight batsmen Paine and Pat Cummins building a useful lower order partnership.

The pair put on 59 before Cummins was clean bowled by a sharp delivery from Umesh Yadav to end his 66-ball knock. That sparked the Australian collapse, and were all out for 326 in their first innings.

Up 1-0 in the four-Test series, India made a terrible start to their first innings. India lost both the openers Murali Vijay and KL Rahul for 8 runs on the board.

At 8 for 2, India needed either a counter-attack or a stubborn resistance. They got a bit of both in the form of Kohli and Cheteshwar Pujara.

Pujara fell in a rather soft manner post tea when he gloved Mitchell Starc down leg-side to wicketkeeper Tim Paine after a 103-ball 24.

The 74-run partnership had been broken after 33 overs, but India were still in a spot of bother at 82 for 3.

The arrival of Rahane changed the momentum a little and gave the innings an impetus. He took on the bowling almost immediately, pulling and upper-cutting the pacers for boundaries.