Perth, Jan 15: Australia have won the Perth Test against India by an innings and 37 runs, racing away to a 3-0 scoreline against the bumbling visitors in the four-match Test series. The hosts bowled India out for 171 in the latter’s second innings of which Virat Kohli’s battling 136-ball 75 was the only highlight.

India began Day 3 at 88 for four, 120 runs adrift of Australia. Rahul Dravid and Virat Kohli batted out the first hour with India going past the 100-run mark and Kohli reaching the third-half century of his fledgling Test career.

Ryan Harris then gave Australia the much-awaited breakthrough as he castled Dravid (47) with a delivery that was pitched right up. Dravid’s wicket, Harris’ only one in this innings, brought an end to the 84-run stand between Dravid and Kohli. MS Dhoni (2) followed five overs later as he edged a Peter Siddle delivery, caught sharply by Ricky Ponting at slip. The Indians went to lunch at 165 for six with Virat Kohli, unbeaten on 69, their only real hope of denying Australia an innings win.

But the third over of the post-lunch session put paid to any hopes of an Indian resistance with Ben Hilfenhaus accounting for R Vinay Kumar (6), Zaheer Khan (0) and Ishant Sharma (0) in the space of five deliveries. Siddle then had Kohli (75) nick one to wicketkeeper Haddin off the second ball of the very next over to bowl India out for 171.

The final Test between the two sides will be played at Adelaide between January 24 and 28.

Brief scores:

At end of Day 3: India 1st innings 161 all out in 60.2 overs (Virat Kohli 44, Ben Hilfenhaus 4/43) and India 2nd innings 171 all out in 63.2 overs (Virat Kohli 75, Ben Hilfenhaus 4/54) lost to Australia 1st innings 369 all out in 76.2 overs (David Warner 180, Ed Cowan 74, Umesh Yadav 5/93) by an innings and 37 runs

At end of Day 2: India 1st innings 161 all out in 60.2 overs (Virat Kohli 44, Ben Hilfenhaus 4/43) and India 2nd innings 88/4 in 32.0 overs (Rahul Dravid 32*, Virat Kohli 21*, Mitchell Starc 2/14); Australia 1st innings 369 all out in 76.2 overs (David Warner 180, Ed Cowan 74, Umesh Yadav 5/93)

At end of Day 1: India 1st innings 161 all out in 60.2 overs (Virat Kohli 44, Ben Hilfenhaus 4/43, Peter Siddle 3/42); Australia 1st innings 149 for no loss in 23.0 overs (David Warner 104*, Ed Cowan 40*)

Man-of-the-match: David Warner for his feisty 159-ball 180 (20x4, 5x6) in Australia’s first innings