INDvsAUS, 3rd Test, Day 4: Australia reach 258-8 at stumps

Australia were teetering on the brink of defeat in the third Test on Saturday despite a battling unbeaten half century from tailender Pat Cummins after being set a massive 399 to win by India.

After early morning drizzle, India started an overcast fourth day in Melbourne with a 346-run lead and with five wickets in hand on a wearing pitch becoming increasingly difficult to bat on.

Skipper Virat Kohli declared at 106 for eight, leaving Australia to chase what would be a record fourth innings total of 399 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

The previous biggest successful run chase at the ground came in 1928, when England made 332 for seven.

Despite more batting failures Australia were still alive at stumps on 258 for eight, needing another 141 runs with the gutsy Cummins not out 61 -- only his second Test 50 and his highest ever score. It followed his career-best 6-27 with the ball.

He was accompanied by Nathan Lyon, who was not out on six, in the rearguard action.

India still have a day in hand to wrap up the last two wickets as they zero in on a first-ever series win Down Under. There is just the Sydney Test next week to go, with the series level at 1-1.

Nathan Lyon comes at the crease.

Inch closer to victory!

Australia lose another wicket.

Mitchell Starc departs after scoring 18 runs.

Australia skipper Tim Paine also departs as India are on the verge of winning the Melbourne Test.

Paine scored 26 runs after facing 67 balls.

India need three wickets to win.

India vs Australia, 3rd Test, Day 4

Ishant Sharma gets Travis Head's wicket.

Australia are at 157-6 after 51 overs. 

India need 4 wickets to win the the Melbolurne Test.

Australia were struggling at 138 for five at tea on the fourth and penultimate day of the third Test.

India declared their second innings at 106 for eight, setting the hosts an improbable victory target of 399. 

The hosts trailed by 261 runs at the break. 

Brief scores:

India: 443/7 and 106/8 declared (Mayank Agarwal 42; Pat Cummins 6/27)
Australia: 151 all out and 138/5 in 42 overs (Shaun Marsh 44; Jasprit Bumrah 2/22).

Shami strikes again!

Shami to Shaun Marsh, out LBW.

Marsh decided to review but it was umpire's call.

Australia did not lose their review though.

India vs Australia, 3rd Test, Day 4

India sniff victory as Indian bowling unit destroys Australia top batting order.

After Finch and Harris, now Usman Khawaja departs after scoring 33 runs.

Mohammed Shami to Khawaja, out lbw.

Australia went upstairs for the review but they lost it.

India vs Australia, 3rd Test, Day 4

Summary till fourth day's lunch

Chasing 399 for an improbable win, Australia were reduced to 44 for two at lunch.

This was after India declared their second innings at 106 for eight with Pat Cummins taking career-best figures of 6-27. 

At the break, Shaun Marsh was unbeaten on 2 with Usman Khawaja batting on 6, as the hosts need another 355 runs. 

Needing to bat five and a half sessions to save the match, Australia didn't get off to the best start as Aaron Finch (3) edged Jasprit Bumrah (1-12) to second slip in the second over. 

Mayank Agarwal couldn't latch on to a tough chance at short leg off Khawaja three balls later otherwise it would have been an even poorer start. 

The batsman then added 27 runs for the second wicket with Marcus Harris (13). The duo checked their shot selection, even as India wasted a review against Khawaja in Ravindra Jadeja's (1-20) first over. 

Jadeja struck in the 10th over though as a bat-pad chance got stuck under Agarwal's arm at short leg and Harris had to walk back, causing further trouble for Australia. 

Earlier, India had batted 52 minutes and extended their second innings from overnight 54 for five even as threat of rain loomed large. 

Play started on time though and India were batting with a plan to reach the 400-lead mark as quickly as possible. 

Mayank Agarwal (42) opened up with a couple sixes off Nathan Lyon (0-40) and made intentions clear, but was bowled off Cummins before he could get a second half-century in his maiden Test. 

Rishabh Pant (33) and Ravindra Jadeja (5) threw their bats around to add 17 runs. They didn't waste time in farming strike, with Cummins missing out on his five-wicket haul when Tim Paine dropped Pant early in the session. 

He returned to pick up his sixth wicket when Jadeja gloved a catch to gully, beating his previous best of 6-79 against South Africa back in 2011. 

India declared with Pant's dismissal in the 38th over. 

The visitors had scored 443-7 declared in the first innings thanks to Cheteshwar Pujara's 17th Test hundred. Jasprit Bumran then picked career-best figures of 6-33 as Australia were bowled out for 151 runs in reply on day three, conceding a 292-run lead. 

The four-match series is level at 1-1 after India won the first Test in Adelaide by 31 runs and Australia claimed the second in Perth by 146 runs.

Both the openers Marcus Harris and Aaron Finch lose their wickets early.

Harris scored 13 runs and Finch scored three runs.

India declared their second innings closed at 106 for eight before lunch on day four of the third test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Saturday, setting Australia a target of 399 runs for victory.

Australia paceman Pat Cummins finished with career-best figures of 6-27, with opening batsman Mayank Agarwal top-scoring for India with 42.

Pat Cummins strikes again and gets Mayank Agarwal's wicket.

Cummins to Agarwal out, out bowled.

Mayank Agarwal and Rishabh Pant resume fourth day's game.

Summary

Fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah, in his first year in Test cricket, took a career-best 6-33 as India took control on the third day of the third Test against Australia on Friday.

India built a 346 run lead as Australia were bowled out for 151 in their first innings, in reply to the tourists 443-7 declared.

Pat Cummins gave the 33,447 fans at the MCG (Melbourne Cricket Ground) something to cheer with four wickets in nine balls as India slumped from 28-0 to end the day on 54-5, a lead of 346.

Bumrah broke the 39-year-old record held by spinner Dileep Doshi as he registered the most number of wickets taken by an India bowler in a debut year.