'We need a few more runs' - Warner

Australia will have the Adelaide Test in the back of their minds on the final day in Melbourne, where they will begin the morning with a lead of 326 and three wickets in hand. Aggressive declarations are not unknown to the Australians but they will look for further runs on the fifth day, with a draw enough for them to win the series and India having shown solid chasing form in the first Test.

On a deteriorating drop-in pitch at Adelaide Oval, India were set 364 and were bowled out for 315, Virat Kohli's century not quite enough as Nathan Lyon bowled Australia to victory. But the MCG drop-in pitches tend to hold up better and the surface should still be good for batting on day five, which is likely to discourage the Australians from setting India too achievable a target.

"We saw in the Adelaide Test how well they fought there and luckily we got the breakthrough because it could have been a different story," David Warner said of Kohli's wicket in the Adelaide Test. "They would have gone one-nil up. We know what their batting line up is like: Kohli and Rahane put on a great partnership.

"They had their luck but they went on with it and got big scores. That is in the back of our mind. We know the positive brand of cricket they are playing now and we have got to come out with the ball and either dry it up or take those ten wickets ... I think we need a few more runs than what we have got on the board at the moment."