Australia were kicking themselves on Sunday for letting Indian century-makers Ajinkya Rahane and Virat Kohli off the hook during a sloppy fielding performance on day three of the Boxing Day Test.

Nathan Lyon dropped a gentle return catch which Bill Lawry pronounced in the commentary box could have been taken by a 10-year-old. "Goodness gracious me. Happy Birthday, Happy Christmas all thrown into one," Lawry said. Rahane was on 70 at the time and went on to make 147.

Kohli was reprieved on 88 by Shane Watson at first slip, but Brad Haddin arguably could have gone for the catch. The star batsman could have been out again soon afterwards when a ball landed just wide of Haddin's outstretched glove after he ran to short square leg.

And debutant K.L. Rahul was dropped on three by sub fielder Peter Siddle, but was out next ball anyway when he played a ridiculous slog off Lyon.

Fast bowler Ryan Harris said Australia could have been in a much stronger position at stumps on day three.

"It could have been a totally different day but at the end of the day it's not," Harris said. "That is the disappointing thing, if we had taken our chances it could have been totally different.

"We have got pretty high standards with our fielding and that was pretty disappointing the way we fielded today. No one means to drop catches but that was well below standards. As a group we bowled pretty well, first hour was good, second hour not so good. Then we had that new ball and we created those chances and you can't give batsmen like Rahane and Kohli second chances because they do what they did today."

Kohli, who made 169, could not recall an Australian fielding performance so sloppy.

"They have set very high standards in the field. Today was surprising to see them drop three catches, have so many misfields and have so many easy singles for us," Kohli said.

"I don't remember the last time I've seen them be inconsistent in the field. They have very high standards with slip catching and ground fielding. It might just be one of those off days."

Haddin, however, grasped two brilliant catches diving at full stretch to his right to dimiss Cheteshwar Pujara and Kohli.