Australia began their quest for a record 17th victory in succession knowing that they would have to make more runs in the fourth innings, 413, than they had ever done to win a Test match.

Although they lost both openers as India’s opening bowlers again got the ball to swing, Ricky Ponting played with enough conviction on an excellent cricket wicket to suggest the result was anything but a foregone conclusion. It never is with Australia.

India were grateful to set Australia as much as they did after losing their first five wickets inside 26 overs. The big guns in the middle order all failed, and when the nightwatchman, Irfan Pathan’s plucky innings of 46 was ended by a sharp slip catch, India were only 278 ahead with four wickets remaining.

VVS Laxman has often reserved his very best batting for Australia, and once again, he played a key part. His hundred in Sydney was a sparkling affair, but here he embraced a more pragmatic, fighting approach, battling for nearly four hours before being last out for 79. He shared two crucial stands that edged India’s lead past the psychologically important 400-mark, 75 in 28 overs with Mahendra Dhoni, and then 51 in 17 overs with RP Singh, whose chancey 30 was a Test best.

India benefited from Australia’s appalling over-rate which, Tim Nielsen their coach admitted, compelled Ponting to employ part-time spinners in unison in the hope of avoiding a suspension as captain.

Dhoni hit both Andrew Symonds and Michael Clarke for straight sixes, and Singh administered the same treatment to Clarke. Australia’s decision to play without a specialist spinner for the first time in 16 years backfired spectacularly.

In an exhilarating morning session, when Australia bowled only 22 overs on a much cooler day, India crashed 106 runs but lost four key wickets. Virender Sehwag had already been dropped by Mike Hussey in the gulley off Brett Lee when he was bowled without addition by a Stuart Clark breakback.

Another beauty, this time from Lee, accounted for Rahul Dravid, who nicked a full-length outswinger that demanded a shot. Sachin Tendulkar, applauded all the way to the crease by a crowd of 17,141, the highest of the match to date, got off the mark with a fortuitous edge off Lee through the slip cordon. He then hit one magnificent straight drive off him that thundered into the fence, but Lee, at the very end of a superb eight-over spell, deceived the little master by going wide on the crease.

Surprised by the change of angle, Tendulkar was beaten by a fast, length ball that won what was a plumb lbw decision from Asad Rauf.

Nor did Sourav Ganguly last long, edging a drive at a ball of very full length from Mitchell Johnson. It was the Queenslander’s only success in the innings. Unlike the Indian left-armers, Johnson has not been able to swing the ball back into the right-handers.

Shaun Tait was even more ineffective, struggling with his control and unable to extract much movement. His first Test appearance in Australia has not been a happy one, and he appears certain to lose his place for the fourth Test in Adelaide next week.

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