IND vs AUS: Ajinkya Rahane and Co go for the kill at Melbourne

Ravindra Jadeja (centre) celebrates the wicket of Australia’s Matthew Wade yesterday. Pic/Getty Images

Ajinkya Rahane knew it before anyone else. The Indian skipper ran in from gully and pointed at the bail that had been dislodged by Jasprit Bumrah. Steven Smith had fallen cheaply for the third time in the series.

By the end of the third day's play, India took full control of the second Test and looked on track to level the series 1-1.

Australia finished at 133-6, taking a slender two-run lead in response to India's first innings total of 326.

Smith's dismissal was another example of how well the Indian bowlers have planned and executed. From the outset, Rahane had a man stationed at leg-gully, square-leg along with a fine-leg for the Aussie No. 4.

The plan was to target Smith's stumps from varying angles, utilising the crease. Bumrah bowled a series of balls on the off-stump line and mixed it up with a couple of short balls to push Smith back. Noticing Smith had already started to shuffle across to cover the line, Bumrah targeted the leg-stump and succeeded at hitting it. The field adopted by India and the plan set had come to fruition.

While Bumrah was following the script, R Ashwin was tweaking plans as per the conditions. The wily off-spinner had realised the pitch had lost its zing, so he changed his mode of attack for Marnus Labuschagne.

At first, he made him drive through the covers at which Labuschagne succeeded. Ashwin then spoke to Rahane and decided to bowl around the wicket. One classic off-spinner was followed by the floater that went with the arm. The drift deceived Labuschagne as he played inside the line. The ball kissed the edge and flew straight to Rahane at first slip.

Labuschagne and Smith were gone and Australia still trailed by 60 runs. With the backbone of the Australian batting in the shed, it was time for Ravindra Jadeja to get into the act. As has been the case for the majority of his career, the plan for Jadeja was simple - use subtle changes of pace and lines.

Against Matthew Wade, he bowled a lot slower and wider of the off-stump. Noticing Wade was starting to shuffle across, he slipped in the quicker ball to trap the Australian opener plumb. Few balls later, he snared Tim Paine with another flatter delivery.

On a pitch that is considerably slower, India succeeded at adapting and executing well-researched plans. The Test match is firmly in the visitors' control and another hour of disciplined bowling should be enough to claim victory.