Ajinkya Rahane stood tall as he struck an unbeaten 89 on comeback helping India reach 260 for 6 at lunch on the third day of their World Test Championship final against Australia on Friday.

Resuming the day at 151 for five with 318 runs behind Australia's first innings total of 469, India lost wicketkeeper-batter KS Bharat (5) early when Scott Boland cleaned him up. But the pair of Rahane and Shardul Thakur (36 not out) led India's resistance in the remainder of the first session.