Seniors hold the innings after losing Openers cheaply …

Australia has fought back to reduce India to 2-74 at lunch after the visitors got off to a solid start in the third Test at the WACA Ground. ( Live scores scroll down )

After winning the toss and electing to bat, Indian openers Virender Sehwag (29) and Wasim Jaffer (16) put on a gritty 57-run opening stand before falling within two runs of each other.

Brett Lee (1-32) and Mitchell Johnson (1-16) have each claimed a wicket after taking the new ball, although it has been the ever-reliable Stuart Clark (0-14) who has looked the most dangerous thus far.

Sachin Tendulkar (13 not out) and Rahul Dravid (two not out) will resume after lunch following an intriguing opening session.

India raced to 0-56 in the first hour courtesy of a wayward Lee, who conceded 25 runs from his opening four-over spell, including five wides and three no-balls.

But Sehwag, who was recalled at the expense of Yuvraj Singh, looked shaky early as he played and missed several Lee thunderbolts.

Sehwag was living life on the edge and brought up the team 50 when he edged Clark just inches wide of a diving Andrew Symonds at third slip for four.

And as if to test his luck, Sehwag almost played Clark onto his stumps next ball when he bottom-edged a rising delivery onto his pads.

Clark was causing the batsmen all sorts of problems and Jaffer had his heart in his mouth when a Clark bouncer thundered into his arm-guard and Adam Gilchrist took a magnificent diving catch, but Australia's appeal was turned down by umpire Asad Rauf.

Despite Clark's continued probing, it was Johnson who snared the opening breakthrough, finding the outside edge of Sehwag with Gilchrist doing the rest behind the stumps.

Lee was re-introduced into the attack in the 20th over and the move paid immediate dividends.

Jaffer mis-timed his front-foot drive and edged through to Gilchrist, who accepted his second catch of the match to reduce India to 2-59.

Sensing it was time to pounce, Australia captain introduced speedster Shaun Tait into the attack next over, but Tendulkar and Dravid withstood the storm to safely guide India towards lunch without further loss.

Australia team:
Ricky Ponting (c), Phil Jaques, Chris Rogers, Michael Hussey, Michael Clarke, Andrew Symonds, Adam Gilchrist, Brett Lee, Stuart Clark, Mitchell Johnson, Shaun Tait, Brad Hogg (12th man)

India team:
Anil Kumble (c), Virender Sehwag, Wasim Jaffer, Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly, VVS Laxman, Mahendra Dhoni, Irfan Pathan, Ishant Sharma, RP Singh, Dinesh Karthik (12th man)