BRISBANE, Australia, Dec 15, 2024 (BSS/AFP) - Steve Smith battled through much of the morning session to help Australia to 104-3 after India struck early on the second day of the third Test in Brisbane on Sunday.

After all but 13.2 overs of the first day were washed out on Saturday, the match remained evenly poised at the first break on day two.

Smith was not-out 25 off 68 balls, with a far more fluid Travis Head alongside him on 20 from just 35 deliveries.

Australia resumed at 28-0 and lost the wickets of Usman Khawaja, Nathan McSweeney and Marnus Labuschagne on a hot and humid day.

The Indian bowlers, who were wasteful in their brief outing on Saturday, were much tighter and troubled all the Australian batsmen.

Khawaja, who has been struggling for runs at the top of the order, had a torrid time playing and missing at the dangerous Jasprit Bumrah.

He added just two to his overnight 19 before Bumrah finally drew the faintest of edges through to wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant to leave Australia 31-1.

Bumrah struck again in his next over when McSweeney (9) edged a simple catch to Virat Kohli at second slip.

Labuschagne and Smith set about settling the innings, but with both players well below their best heading into the Test, the scoring rate was slow against the disciplined Indian attack.

Labuschagne faced 55 balls on his way to making 12 when he uncharacteristically went for an expansive drive off Nitish Kumar Reddy, only to get a thick edge to Kohli, who took a sharp catch at second slip.

Head, who scored a magnificent century in the second Test in Adelaide, joined Smith at the crease to see them safely to lunch.

The five-match series is level at 1-1.