Melbourne, Dec 29 (CRICKETNMORE): India declared their second innings at 106 for eight after an hour of batting on Day 4, thus setting a target of 399 for Australia to win the third Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground here on Saturday.
Australia paceman Pat Cummins finished with career-best figures of 6-27, with opening batsman Mayank Agarwal top-scoring for India with 42.
Resuming the day at 54/5, the overnight duo of Agarwal and stumper Rishabh Pant (33) started well before Cummins, who took four wickets on Day 3, broke through the defences of Agarwal to claim his fifth victim.
Cummins also saw the back of new man Ravindra Jadeja (5) before Josh Hazlewood dismissed Pant, prompting India skipper Virat Kohli to declare the second essay at 106/8.
The four-Test series is tied at 1-1, with the final Test to be played in Sydney.
Brief Scores: India 443/7 & 106/8 (Mayank Agarwal 42, Rishabh Pant 33; Pat Cummins 6/27) vs Australia 151 (Marcus Harris 22, Tim Paine 22; Jasprit Bumrah 6/33).