Perth, Dec 15 (IANS): India were in a spot of bother at 70/2 at tea in their first innings on the second day of the second cricket Test against Australia here on Saturday.

Virat Kohli and Cheteshwar Pujara were at the crease when the players went for the break.

Kohli was on 37 off 78 deliveries while Pujara was batting on a patient 23 off 87 balls.

The duo had added 62 runs between them following the fall of opener Lokesh Rahul shortly after lunch.

The visitors still trail the Australian first innings total of 326 by 256 runs.

With the wicket offering plenty of help to the Australian fast bowlers, Kohli and Pujara batted with grit and determination despite a few close calls.

The Indians lost opener Murali Vijay right at the stroke of lunch when a delivery from fast bowler Mitchell Starc found the gap between bat and pad to crash into the stumps.

Josh Hazlewood uprooted Rahul's off-stump with some late swing early in the post-lunch session.

Earlier in the morning session, India had dismissed Australia for 326 runs in the first innings.

Resuming the overnight score of 277/6, Tim Paine and Pat Cummings held the Indian bowlers at bay for a while before both the players departed in consecutive overs.

Fast bowler Ishant Sharma then had Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood caught behind off back to back deliveries to bring the Australian innings to an end.

Ishant was the most successful of the Indian bowlers with figures of 4/41 while fellow fast bowlers Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami clinched a couple of wickets each. Part time spinner Hanuma Vihari also got two wickets.

Brief scores:

India (first innings): 70/2 (Virat Kohli 37 batting; Cheteshwar Pujara 28 batting) vs Australia (first innings): 326 (Marcus Harris 70; Ishant Sharma 4/41).