The first Test match between India and Australia ended evenly poised with the hosts having taken an overall lead of 230 runs with two second innings wicket still standing.
India were expected to take a huge first innings lead on a track affording a lot of swing and seam at the start of the third day. Instead, they collapsed like nine pins, losing their last six wickets in the first session for the addition of 68 runs.
Ben Hilfenhaus took five wickets and the rout began when Rahul Dravid, unbeaten on 68 overnight, fell in the very first over of the day.
The rest of the side failed to cope with the difficult batting conditions and apart from R Ashwin who made 31, none of the others passed 11. Hilfenhaus ended with 5/75, while Peter Siddle and James Pattinson shared the other five wickets.
With a crucial 51-run lead, Australia needed to bat India out of the game. Instead, Umesh Yadav picked up the top three and Ishant Sharma joined in with a fourth wicket as Australia slumped to 27/4.
There was a fifth-wicket resurrection from Ricky Ponting and Michael Hussey as both of them went on to score positive half-centuries. The stand added 115 runs before Ponting edged Zaheer Khan to Virender Sehwag in the slips and that led to another collapse.
Australia lost three further wickets before close for 27 runs as they ended the day on 179/8. Hussey was unbeaten on 79, having been dropped once by Rahul Dravid in the slips.
If India can bowl Australia out early tomorrow and restrict the target to 250, they will still be in the game. However, larger the target gets, more difficult it will get for the Indians given how difficult it is chasing on the Melbourne Cricket Ground track.
The fourth day of the Australia v India 1st Test will be played at 11.30 pm GMT on Wednesday, December 28.
