India v Australia, 1st Test: MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli fire for hosts

Nathan Lyon: Took three wickets on the third day

MS Dhoni (L) and Virat Kohli: Both scored centuries on day three

A sensational double century from skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni put India firmly in control after the third day of the first Test against Australia in Chennai.

Dhoni finished unbeaten on 206 - his highest Test score - while Virat Kohli also chipped in with 107 as the hosts reached 515-8 by the close of play.

Off-spinner Nathan Lyon took three of the day's five wickets but could not prevent India taking a 135-run first-innings lead after Australia were bowled out for 380 on day two.

India began the day on 182-3 and the loss of Sachin Tendulkar was the only negative for them in the morning session, Tendulkar adding 10 to his overnight total of 71 before being bowled through the gate by Lyon.

Stand

That brought Dhoni to the crease and, with Kohli already well set on 54, the pair went about building a stand of 128 for the fifth wicket.

Dhoni in particular pummelled the bowlers, scoring at just under a run-a-ball in the lead up to lunch, while Kohli was slightly more circumspect as he edged his way towards a century.

Kohli brought up three figures following the break and soon after India passed 300, the 24-year-old hitting James Pattinson through square leg to the fence.

But he did not last much longer as he failed get the elevation required to beat Mitchell Starc, who took a simple catch off Lyon at mid-on to leave India on 324-5.

Dhoni continued to keep the scoreboard ticking over at an impressive rate but struggled for support as Ravindra Jadeja (16) left a Pattinson (4-89) delivery which clattered into off stump, while Ravi Ashwin (3) and Harbhajan Singh (11) both fell cheaply.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar did manage to hold things up in the final session, clocking up an unbeaten 16 from 56 balls to allow Dhoni to cut loose at the other end.

Dhoni was unstoppable, blasting 22 fours and five sixes as he closed to within 11 runs of Tendulkar's record of the highest score by an India captain.