Australia require only 76 runs to win after bowling out India for 163 in their second innings thanks to Nathan Lyon taking 8-64.

To do so they must avoid the sort of batting collapse that they had during the morning session on the second day of the Indore Test where the visitors lost their last six wickets while adding only 11 runs, denting their chances of a huge first innings lead.

Even so, India started their second innings with a substantial deficit of 88 runs to make up. It had batted poorly on the first morning with several of the top order batters getting out to audacious shots. Shubman Gill didn’t seem to heed any lessons that could have been learnt. On the sixth ball after lunch he came charging down the track to Lyon, missed, and was bowled for 5 with India still trailing by 73 runs.

India’s captain, Rohit Sharma had made terrible use of his reviews during Australia’s innings and he did no better when he was struck on the pads by Lyon when he’d scored five with replays showing the ball would have hit halfway up middle stump.

After taking five first innings wickets, Matt Kuhnemann claimed another lbw when Virat Kohli was dismissed for 13. He’d struck a lovely shot to the cover boundary but, next ball, completely missed an attempt to flail the ball to leg with no review called for this time.

When Lyon took his third wicket shortly before tea, India were still trailing by 10 runs. It was another lbw with Jadeja caught in front for 7. Cheteshwar Pujara went to the break unbeaten on 35, the second highest score of the match after Usman Khawaja’s 60.

Australia has had problems finishing off India’s innings in both of the first two Tests. When Shreyas Iyer got off the mark by launching a six off Kuhnemann India took the lead but were four wickets down. The bottom order was going to have to play a big part if they were to set Australia a competitive target.

Iyer continued with his attacking intent scoring at a run-a-ball, prompting Steve Smith to bring back Mitchell Starc. The move had immediate success when Khawaja, who’d been off the field for most of the innings with a back problem, took a fine diving catch at mid-wicket to end Iyer’s innings of 26 from 27 balls.

Srikar Bharat didn’t last long. He’d made 3 when Lyon’s theory of attacking the stumps in these conditions paid off. He got a ball to skid on and smash into them as Bharat played for turn.

Pujara could have fallen when he’d just brought up his half-century. He chased a wide ball from Kuhnemann but ended up slapping it to extra cover where Marnus Labuschagne was unable to hold on.

The next breakthrough came in the following over when Lyon completed his five wicket haul. He’s normally accurate with his reviews and was absolutely convinced that he’d trapped Ravi Ashwin lbw for 16. He was right again and the result was the end of a useful seventh wicket partnership of 22.

It took a stunning catch by Steve Smith at leg slip to finally end Pujara’s fine innings of 59. It was a diving one-handed grab to hold on to a fine leg glance. Lyon admitted afterwards that he didn’t think any other Australian player could have pulled off the catch.

Next ball Umesh Yadav survived an lbw review but then launched the second ball he faced to deep mid-wicket where Cameron Green took the catch just inside the rope.

With what proved to be the last ball of the day, Mohammed Siraj came charging down the track and was comprehensively bowled. It meant that Lyon had taken 8-64 and eleven wickets for the match.

India had been dismissed for 163 and had only eked out a lead of 75 runs but it would probably have suffered an innings defeat if it wasn’t for an extraordinary collapse by Australia during the second hour of play.

Resuming on the second day at 4-156 and with a lead of 47 runs Australia’s fifth wicket pair calmly negotiated the first hour. Peter Handscomb, wearing a white floppy sun hat, used his feet neatly against the spinners while Green was content on consistently coming forward and using his long reach to nullify any turn.

For some reason Ashwin was not introduced into the attack until one over before the first drinks break and at that point Australia were 4-186 and leading by 77 runs.

The next half an hour was mayhem from Australia’s point of view as they lost their last six wickets for 11 runs in only thirty-four deliveries.

A dipping ball from Ashwin drew Handscomb forward out of his crease and, as he reached for it, the ball took the inside edge with Iyer taking a smart catch at short leg. Handscomb had added 19 in a useful 40 run partnership for the fifth wicket.

Next over and Yadav was reintroduced to the attack and immediately took the first wicket of the match by a seamer. The narrowest of umpire calls upheld his lbw shout against Green who threw his head back in frustration as he was dismissed for 21.

Finding some reverse swing, Yadav then came round the wicket to Starc who had his off stump ripped from the ground when he’d made 1.

The first ball of the next over and Alex Carey was pinned lbw for 3 by Ashwin before Yadav repeated the in-swinging delivery to Todd Murphy who was yet to score. This time, not only was his off stump knocked out of the ground but one of the bails, astonishingly, landed within fifteen metres of the boundary.

The innings was all over six balls later when Nathan Lyon’s stumps were again rattled as Ashwin took his third wicket. This final burst saw Ashwin return 3-4 and Yadav 3-8 as Australia’s tail was demolished.

Lyon’s efforts meant though that, despite the collapse, Australia should complete the win on day three. No team has failed to chase down a smaller target so, unless there’s a dramatic last day, Australia should pull off the victory to bring the series back to 1-2 with one match to play. If it does then it will also guarantee their place in the World Test Championship Final to be played at The Oval in June.

More to come.