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Steve Smith's team-mates have praised the Australian captain following his stoic century on day one of the third Test against India, with his unbeaten innings helping put the tourists on top in Ranchi.
Smith, who won the toss, ignored the distraction of the review controversy from the second Test in Bangalore to make 117 not out, as Australia reached stumps on 4-299 on the opening day.
Glenn Maxwell joined Smith with a career-best 82 not out, his burgeoning partnership with his skipper already worth 159 runs, which is a record fifth-wicket stand for Australia in India.
Smith's ton contrasted the fortunes of his India counterpart Virat Kolhi, who was forced from the field because of a shoulder injury but is still likely to bat in Ranchi.
The innings from Smith is only the second century in the spin-dominated series, following his 109 in Pune, as the 27-year-old joined the 5,000-run club in his 53rd Test.
He is the youngest Australian Test player to reach the feat, a remarkable achievement considering it took him 12 Tests before he score his first century.
It is his 19th Test ton and it came after one of the most difficult weeks of his career, in which Kohli brought Smith's integrity into question after he looked to the players' area for advice on a dismissal review in Bangalore.
Australia opener Matthew Renshaw, who made 44, was glowing in his admiration of Smith, pointing to how he led by example on the first day in Ranchi.
"I thought we all got starts but just didn't get on with it and make a big score like Steve did," he said.
"He showed us how to go today. He's handled the whole situation really well and just showed that we're here for a cricket series and showed how to do it today."
Australia was reeling at 3-89 when Smith and Peter Handscomb (19), the other protagonist of the review controversy in Bangalore, joined forces for a half-century stand.
Umesh Yadav trapped Handscomb (19) LBW with an inswinging yorker but Smith found an able partner in Maxwell, who eschewed his natural aggression and played judiciously to justify his selection, replacing the injured Mitchell Marsh.
Known for his destructive batting, which makes him a limited-overs asset, Maxwell showed tremendous self-restraint, taking 57 deliveries to hit his first boundary.
There were glimpses of his natural aggression as well, such as when he hit Ravi Jadeja for the first of his two sixes to bring up his maiden Test half-century.
Maxwell surpassed in his very first innings of the series the 48 runs that Marsh had totalled in his four during the first two Tests.
Kohli should be fit to continue for India after injuring his right shoulder while fielding near the boundary and missing much of the day's play.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India said in a statement that scans had shown there were "no serious concerns" for Kohli.
"The BCCI medical team confirms that Indian captain Virat Kohli is presently undergoing treatment to recuperate from a strain in his right shoulder," the statement read.
"Relevant investigations have revealed that there are no serious concerns which will hamper his speedy recovery ... he will continue to receive treatment, which will assist him to participate in the rest of the match."
Kohli suffered the injury when he fell awkwardly after diving to stop a Handscomb drive close to the long-on boundary in the 40th over of the day.
"In his intent to save that one run, he stopped the ball and landed on his right shoulder when he rolled over," India's fielding coach R Sridhar said.
"The impact was quite heavy because of the momentum he was carrying. There was shock on his right shoulder."
Sridhar said the prognosis on Kohli would be clearer on Friday morning following a scan.
ABC/Reuters
Topics: cricket, sport, india, australia
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