Impressive knocks from Steve Smith and Cameron Green have put Australia in a commanding position at the SCG, but India has refused to give up on an unlikely victory.
Indian bowler Mohammed Siraj stopped play to call attention to a group of spectators who had allegedly been hurling abuse.
Cricket Australia confirmed the patrons had been removed from the stadium, and NSW Police was investigating the incident. CA has also launched its own inquiry into the matter.
We have launched an investigation in parallel with NSW Police following a crowd incident at the SCG today. Full statement 👇 pic.twitter.com/D7Qu3SenHo
The 21-year-old Green finished with his highest individual score in Test cricket, an entertaining 84 off 132 balls including four mammoth sixes.
“How selfless was he? I think he deserves a promotion to five,” Fox Cricket commentator Kerry O’Keeffe said after the innings.
“This was an innings that just developed and accelerated in the interests of the team ... this guy is a lock for a decade. What a player Australian has unearthed.”
Rohit Sharma will be filthy with himself after this! Brings up the 50 then gifts his wicket to the hands of Mitchell Starc 😲 #AUSvINDpic.twitter.com/1e9hrTTGy9
Cheteshwar Pujara was the name batsman at the crease, and immediately found himself in hot water when he was given out LBW on his third delivery.
Hazlewood beat the inside edge of Pujara's bat, and Paul Wilson quickly raised the dreaded finger.
But the Indian No. 3 survived after Hawkeye suggested the ball would have bounced over the stumps.
Indian openers survive twin DRS shouts
The Indian openers have each survived a DRS review early in their second innings.
Rohit Sharma was given out LBW by the on-field umpire after Josh Hazlewood struck him on the front pad.
He quickly called for the DRS, and the Hawkeye replays suggested the ball would have bounced over the stumps, meaning Sharma survived.
Soon after, Hazlewood thought he had dismissed Shubman Gill caught behind, but the on-field umpire was unmoved.
Australian captain Tim Paine called for the DRS review, but replays showed the ball had flicked his body rather than the bat.
The on-field decision of not out remained, and Australia lost one of the three reviews.
India is now 0/28 after 10 overs at the SCG.
Aussies declare with huge lead
After Cameron Green was dismissed for an entertaining 84, Tim Paine declared Australia's innings at 6/312.
India face the unlikely task of chasing 407 for victory. The largest successful run chase at the SCG in Test history is 288.
'Sickening': Test halted as fans evicted
The New Year's Test match between Australia and India has been interrupted by an incident involving six spectators at the SCG.
In the 87th over of Australia’s second innings, Indian bowler Mohammed Siraj stopped play to call attention to an incident in the crowd.
After talking to Siraj and Indian captain Ajinkya Rahane, the umpires and a cluster of security guards migrated towards the fine leg boundary.
Players waited in the field for approximately 10 minutes as police questioned a handful of spectators in the SCG’s Brewongle Stand.
Eventually, four attendees were asked to leave the venue before play resumed, and two other men followed them soon after.
Former Australian wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist said on Fox Cricket: “If anyone has been throwing frightfully horrible comments around as has been alleged, I think they will be able to track down who it is – and not just the ICC, hopefully it’s the police that find out who it is.”
Australian great Michael Hussey responded: “If there’s been abuse directed towards the players, just kick them out straight away. Not welcome ever.”
Former Australian all-rounder Tom Moody called it "unacceptable behaviour", while sports reporter Chloe-Amanda Bailey said it was "sickening".
Totally unacceptable, Australia. These guys are our guests, and must be treated with respect.
Cricket writer Adam Collins posted: "It’s shameful that a visitor in our country – not least Siraj, who has performed so joyously at the start of his Test career – has to endure this."
Meanwhile, cricket journalist Geoff Lemon called it a “national shame”.
On Saturday evening, India reportedly lodged a complaint to the ICC after two players allegedly faced racial abuse from the SCG crowd on day three.
Indian officials spoke with the ICC match officials and the stadium security after play on day three to make the accusations.
Later, a witness revealed what was said to spur Siraj to halt play the SCG on Sunday.
Steve Smith came out all guns blazing after lunch as the Aussies looked to score quick runs and set up an early declaration – but he fell victim to an excellent review from the Indians.
Smith hooked his first ball after the break for six, then flicked his second ball to the rope on the leg side. Two more boundaries followed and Smith had raced from 58 to 81 in no time.
Then a ball from Ravi Ashwin spun back sharply and hit Smith on the front pad, and the Indians challenged the call after umpire Paul Wilson kept his finger down.
Hawkeye showed the ball was hitting the stumps and Smith was on his way, robbed of the chance of making two centuries in the Test.
The 31-year-old shook his head when the decision came down and continued to shake it as he walked off the ground.
Smith steers the ship, Green fights hard
Steve Smith is leading the way, going to lunch unbeaten on 58 as the Aussies ended the first session at 4/182 – giving them a lead of 276.
Green, fresh off a gritty 45 in the Boxing Day Test, was showing plenty of fight as he kept India's bowlers at bay, heading into the break on 20 not out.
The pitch is deteriorating, making runs hard to come by but Smith – who scored a ton in the first innings – has been all class, not giving India a chance as he takes responsibility for building a commanding lead.
The right-hander has worked ones and twos off his legs and creamed boundaries through the off side when offered any width.
Smith has now scored a century and half century in the same Test 11 times – the most by any player in history, alongside South African legend Jacques Kallis.
Smith also moved into ninth on Australia's list of leading Test runscorers, surging past David Boon (7422 Test runs).
Smith salutes again
Steve Smith's return to form continued as he raised his bat for a half century after reaching triple figures in the first innings.
The right-hander brought up his 50 from 134 balls as he started to score more fluently after showing plenty of patience early in his knock.
