Aussies crumble as India eyes off series triumph in Dharamsala

India reached stumps on day three on 19 without loss and needing 87 more runs for the victory, having been set a paltry target of 106 when it dismissed Australia for just 137 in its second innings.

Openers KL Rahul (13 not out) and Murali Vijay (6 not out) saw out six overs before the close of play, as Australia failed to get the vital breakthrough wicket it craved.

Australia had come out of the lunch break on day three just 32 runs behind India, who had been dismissed for 332 in its first innings during the morning session.

But any confidence Australia had gained from tearing through the India tail, following some early stubbornness, was dismantled in prompt fashion, with David Warner (6), Matt Renshaw (8) and captain Steve Smith (17) removed with just 31 runs on the board in its second knock.

A stoic fourth-wicket stand between Glenn Maxwell and Peter Handscomb, worth 56 runs, offered Australia a glimmer of hope it could build a lead competitive enough to hold out the home side and claim victory, which would give it a first series win in India since 2004.

But Handscomb fell for 18 when he was brilliantly caught by stand-in India captain Ajinkya Rahane at slip off the bowling of Ravindra Jadeja, before Shaun Marsh went for just 1 after being treated for a back injury earlier on day three.

Maxwell stuck around until the early stages of the final session but his removal for 45 - LBW to spinner Ravichandran Ashwin - simply acted as another nail in the coffin of Australia's second innings.

Wade, who was involved in several heated moments with Indian opponents on day three, became the senior batsman as Australia's tail entered the fray, but he ran out of partners with Pat Cummins making 12, before Steve O'Keefe, Nathan Lyon and Josh Hazlewood were all out for ducks.

The Australia wicketkeeper was 25 not out, with Jadeja (3-24), Umesh Yadav (3-29) and Ashwin (3-29) responsible for much of the damage with the ball.

Aussies dismiss India after early frustration

Australia had appeared to start day three in the best possible fashion when overnight batsman Jadeja was judged caught behind by Wade off Cummins from the first delivery of the session.

Umpire Marais Erasmus had raised the finger to send Jadeja on his way, but the home side chose to review the decision and it was found the bat clearly made no contact with the ball.

The early setback seemed to frustrate Australia, as Jadeja and Wriddhiman Saha built on their partnership, which had started late on day two, to push India past the tourists' first innings of 300.

Jadeja reached 63, with the stand worth 96 runs, before Cummins was rewarded for his excellent bowling display with the wicket of the Indian spinner.

India, at 7-317, then lost its next three wickets with the addition of just 15 runs, a run of dismissals which included a miraculous catch from Smith off Cummins to get rid of Saha (31).

Lyon saw off the innings with his fifth wicket when Kuldeep Yadav (7) was caught in the deep by Hazlewood.

The finger spinner finished with the figures of 5-92, his effort giving him 247 Test dismissals to move to ninth on Australia's all-time list of wicket takers.

Cummins claimed 3-94, and Hazlewood (1-51) and O'Keefe (1-75) chipped in with a wicket each.

India v Australia

Date:

25 March 2017

Match:

4th Test

Venue:

Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium, Dharamsala

Start time:

14:00

Umpires:

Marais Erasmus / Ian Gould

Toss:

Australia won the toss and elected to bat.

India trail Australia by 86 runs with 10 wickets remaining — Close of play

Australia First Innings

300 all out (88.3 overs)

India First Innings

332 all out (118.1 overs)

Australia Second Innings

137 all out (53.5 overs)

India Second Innings

19 for 0 (6.0 overs)