Virat Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane kept India’s hopes alive with an unbeaten 71 run stand for the third wicket as they ended the day at 164/3, still requiring a further 280 runs on the final day of the WTC test at the Oval on Saturday.
Resuming at an overnight score of 123/4, Australia lost Marnus Labuschagne early in the day as he nicked at a delivery from Umesh Yadav to Cheteshwar Pujara at first slip for 41.
Cameron Green along with Alex Carey put on 43 runs for the sixth wicket stand before the former was dismissed by Ravindra Jadeja for 25.
Carey and Mitchell Starc kept the Indian bowlers at bay with a frustrating seventh wicket stand of 93 runs before the latter perished to Mohammed Shami for a well made 41.
The Aussies declared their second innings at 270/8, with an overall lead of 443.
Chasing 444, openers Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill got India off to a solid start. The duo added 41 runs for the opening stand before the latter fell to a brilliant one handed catch by Green at gully off Scott Boland for 18.
Rohit and Cheteshwar Pujara then added 51 runs for the second-wicket stand before the former (43) was trapped leg before wicket by Nathan Lyon while attempting a needless lap stroke.
Pujara (27) also fell in the next over, trying to upper-cut a bouncer from Pat Cummins to Carey behind the wickets.
Virat Kohli (44*) and Ajinkya Rahane (20*) saw the day through without any further alarms with an unbroken 71 run stand for the fourth wicket as India reached 164/3 at the end of Day 4, still requiring a further 280 runs.
Stumps at the end of Day 4
India 296 and 164 for 3 (Kohli 44*, Rohit 43) need another 280 runs to beat Australia 469 and 270 for 8 dec (Carey 66, Labuschagne 41, Starc 41, Jadeja 3-58, Shami 2-39, Umesh 2-54)