Centuries from Virat Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane have kept India competitive against Australia in the third Test at the MCG, with the score at 336-3 at tea on day three.

MS Dhoni's side started the afternoon session on 224-3 with the pair at the crease, and Rahane quickly managed to find the seven runs that he required to bring up a half-century off just 60 deliveries.

The duo brought up their 100-partnership off just 138 balls as both players were able to find the boundary with regularity due to some aggressive field settings from Baggy Greens skipper Steve Smith.

India passed the 300-run mark as both players began to approach their centuries, but Kohli started to show signs of nerves when he snapped at Mitchell Johnson after being hit in the leg as the paceman attempted an ambitious run out.

Kohli soon edged a delivery through the slips and, minutes later, was dropped a first slip by Shane Watson on 88. The 26-year-old chanced his luck again as his top edge off Johnson fell just short of a scrambling Brad Haddin.

Rahane showed more composure than his partner as he used controlled aggression to bring up his third Test match century in just his 13th match, having faced only 127 deliveries.

Kohli followed suit a short time later with a fine shot through cover off the bowling of Nathan Lyon, which travelled to the boundary and saw him pass three figures for the third time this series.

India finished the session trailing Australia by 194 runs, with seven first-innings wickets intact.