Smith celebrates his ton at MCG.
© AFP
Melbourne: Steve Smith led an Australian run onslaught with his third century of the series as India ran out of ideas early on the second day of the third Melbourne Test on Saturday. (Live Scorecard | Live Blog)
The new Australian skipper plundered his fifth ton for the year when he leg-glanced Mohammed Shami for four to raise his century off 191 balls.
At lunch, the home side were 389 for seven with Smith unconquered on 128 off 230 balls and Ryan Harris not out 10.
Smith has now scored centuries in all three Tests of the series and continues to be the bane of the Indian bowlers.
By lunch, Smith had accumulated 503 runs in the series. He has been dismissed just twice in five innings.
Australia lost two wickets in the morning session but added 130 runs to their overnight score of 259 for five.
Brad Haddin played himself back into form after a run of 15 innings without a fifty, reaching his 18th Test half-century and his highest score for almost a year with his 55.
The veteran wicketkeeper tried to leave a Shami delivery but got a bottom edge and was caught behind.
Haddin put on 110 runs for the sixth wicket with Smith and gave the team's first innings fresh impetus after coming in at 216 for five.
Apart from Smith it was the third half-century of the Australian first innings following 57 from Chris Rogers and Shane Watson's 52 on Friday's first day.
Mitchell Johnson hit a breezy 28 off 37 balls with five fours before he was stumped off Ravi Ashwin shortly before lunch.
India's skipper M.S. Dhoni seemed at a loss at times figuring a way of stemming the Australian run flow with 47 runs coming in the first 40 minutes of day two.
Dhoni alternated all his three pace bowlers and did not introduce the spin of Ashwin into the attack until 30 minutes before lunch.
Dhoni had been in five dismissals: four caught and one stumping.
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