STUMPS: An excellent day's cricket here in Chennai. The day belongs to India's spinners, but Moises Henriques has starred late in the day, with admirable support from Nathan Lyon. Join us tomorrow for more of the same. AUSTRALIA 232/9 (Moises Henriques 75, Nathan Lyon 12) - Australia lead by 40.
We're into the last over of the day here - that is unless India take another wicket and ask for an extra half-hour to finish the match.....
Henriques now has a cheeky Test match average of 142.
SIX: Henriques hits another one, sending Ashwin deep into the stands. What a knock. This partnership now has an unlikely 54 runs to its name. AUSTRALIA 231/9. Australia lead by 39.
Australia now lead by 28.
TWO CLOSE CALLS HERE. First one goes just outside the line, the next looked like it was going straight on. Hanging on by the skin of their teeth here. 80 overs bowled. AUSTRALIA 216/9.
SIX: Champagne shot from Henriques there, who smashes Harbhajan Singh down the wicket for a huge boundary to bring up his 50. That's two half-centuries in his first test. Fairytale. AUSTRALIA 207/9.
Ishant Sharma is having a crack at Lyon now. He defends well. Australia have notched up the 200 that was lookingincreasingly unlikely. The visitors will take heart fromt he fact that England lost their first Test against India recently. AUSTRALIA 200/9
FOUR: And it's that man Henriques again. What a performance. Australia lead by seven runs here. AUSTRALIA 199/9
Australia are chipping away here, they now only trail by two runs. India may well have to bat here. That is, of course, unless I have just jinxed them. AUSTRALIA 190/9 (Lyon 6, Henriques 39.)
APPEAL: But not a proper one. Never going to get that one, it was going way past leg.
CLOSE! Australia nearly all out there, as Henriques' mis-hit clears mid-on by centimetres. Five runs needed here to save an innings defeat. AUSTRALIA 187/9
FOUR: Very cheeky from Nathan Lyon, who tonks it straight down the pitch for a boundary. Lovely keepsake for the tail-ender that. It takes Australia to 183/9.
Four off the over, Australia trail by 13. And I'm pretty sick of the Samuel L. Jackson ad. Singh replaces Jadeja. AUSTRALIA 179/9.
Australia still trail by 17 runs as Lyon comes in to partner Henriques. Can they make up the deficit? I think not.
WICKET: Ashwin takes out Starc, as predicted. He put the ball in the air, into the grateful breadbasket of Tendulkar. Starc goes for 8 off 7 balls. And that's drinks - dont mind if I do. There shouldn't be too much left in this one. AUSTRALIA 175/9
And that's another boundary - this time from Henriques, who puts in one of the best strikes of the day. Superb debut, whatever happens here. AUSTRALIA 170/8.
Henriques has put in an excellent shift here so far. He is sitting on 24 runs off 53 balls in his second Test innings. He has played the spinners as good as anyone today, hitting the ball late, reacting to the spitting leather.
FOUR: Another one for Starc, who chips it over the fielder, and sends Ashwin for another boundary. Brave start!
FOUR: And he's straight in with a boundary through the covers on his third ball. Starc gets off the mark in style. Although with risks like that, it may only be a cameo.
In comes Mitchell Starc. He can sometimes surprise, but on this wicket I'm not sure that will happen....
WICKET: Ashwin gets his fourth wicket of the innings and 11th of the Test. Pattinson had been batting very comfortably until that point, and starting to build some momentum, but he edges it to a grateful Sehwag, who takes an athletic catch. Australia may not see out the night here. Pattinson is out for 11 off 16 balls. AUSTRALIA 161/8.
So, we're into the 60th over here in Chennai, with Australia creeping towards India's total. They have 38 runs to chase with three wickets in hand to make India bat again. AUSTRALIA 154/7.
FOUR: Lovely from Pattinson, who drives a full toss straight off mid-off. Very, very tidy. He's been bright since he came in.
Big appeal there for, you guessed it, lbw. Singh to Pattinson. AUSTRALIA 150/7.
Very nice over from Pattinson. Playing very sensibly. He moves up to 4 runs off 7 balls. Can Australia chase down the 45 runs? AUSTRALIA 7/142.
Excellent fielding from Tendulkar, who saves a boundary. He slides to the rope and saves the four. Pattinson kniocked it safely over gully. Good start.
In comes James Pattinson. Can the left-hander last longer than the woeful Siddle?
WICKET: A true tail-ender's shot there from Siddle. He gives his wicket, and middle stump away for 2. Bowled by Jadeja, who now has 2/40. AUSTRALIA 137/7.
A safe couple of overs from these two. Well, apart from a horrible inside edge over short leg from Siddle. AUSTRALIA 136/6.
Almost another wicket there for Singh, as Henriques looks like he's been caught magnificently in the slips. Replays showed it was clearly a pad, but the appeal was pretty convincing. AUSTRALIA 6/133. India lead by 59.
DOUBLE CHANCE: Singh appeals for lbw against Henriques, and in the resulting play, the batsmen run, and are almost run out. Shambolic.
So, a predictable maiden there as the new batsman settles in. What can Australia do from here? They need a proper wag to save soe face and see out the day here in Chennai. AUSTRALIA 131/6
That was Ashwin's 10th wicket of the Test. Tenth. Now Peter Siddle is going to have a (ahem) crack on this pitch.
Horrible, horrible start to a session again for Australia. No complaints for Clarke there, it was spot on off stump. Great delivery, the length was perfect, it kept low and ensnared the skipper no problems. Barring a miracle, that is almost as good as the game.
WICKET: And it's the big one. Ashwin takes out Clarke for 31 with a delightful ball. lbw. AUSTRALIA 131/6
TEA: And that's enough for that session y'all. And it clearly belonged to the home side. Australia are 128/5, with Clarke and Henriques in charge of the recovery. Australia were 4/94 in that session, not to mention some lucky escapes. The ball is spitting and jumping all over the place, but that's no excuse for Wade, who gave his wicket up for free with a silly sweep over a straight ball. See you on the other side.
Current partnership: 7 runs. India lead by 64 runs with 5 wickets left.
Nice shot from Henriques, who clips the ball down leg side for three very decent singles.
Another maiden over. One more to go before a tea. Jadeja to bowl to Clarke.
CLOSE. Henriques pushes the ball wide of Jadeja, and the pair call a silly run. Nearly a very silly run out. Jadeja let the ball fly at the stumps, but it's a miss. He would have been a yard out, easy. Australia need cooler heads, especially this close to tea. AUSTRALIA 124/5
Australia trail by 71 runs, with 5 wickets remaining. AUSTRALIA 121/5 - Clarke is on 29, Henriques on 0.
Ashwin is 2/44 while Singh is sitting on 2/33.
The new batsman is Moises Henriques. He is absolutely surrounded by fielders close in. No pressure then. He survives the first ball.
That was amateur from Wade. He walks, with a pitiful 8 off 22 balls. He attempted a silly sweep with a planted foot, and the straight ball goes right through him. Awful. Clarke is not looking happy.
WICKET: Wade is out. Bowled by Harbhajan Singh. Full, flat, Wade sweeps and misses. Huge trouble. AUSTRALIA 121/5.
Harvhajan gifts another three byes to the Aussie total, whips right past the despairing Dhoni.
Another maiden over there. Wade defended stoutly. That'll do for now. AUSTRALIA 118/4
Ashwin comes back into the attack. he hasn't had the same impact as he had in the first innings, but Australian fans will still not be too happy to see him back in the fray. Especially on this riverbed.
A better over there from Australia, a four and four singles brings the total up to 118/4. Can Clarke and Warner take Australia anywhere near 300? That'd be tasty. unlikely, but tasty.
FOUR: That's the first in a while - Wade punches Harbhajan Singh to the boundary. Australia trail by 75.
That's the end of the 42nd over. And it's a maiden. AUSTRALIA 110/4 with Clarke on 28 and Wade on 2.
Four byes courtesy of Jadeja. Every little helps. And on the next ball, Wade twonks it into Pujara's head. The helmet-wearing Indian doesn't even flinch.
Thick outside edge from Wade, but it's safe, and he's off the mark. Another big appeal for lbw here, again no dice - but it was a close one for Clarke there. AUSTRALIA 106/4
Matthew Wade is in, the left-hander could do a lot worse than get the skipper on face and let him continue his astonishing run rate. Clarke goes for a big sweep, and gets nothing but thin air for his efforts. AUSTRALIA 105/4
Significant wicket there for India, who will believe that they have cracked the spine of the Australian time in this Test. The ball is spitting and bouncing, and the Aussie batsmen are completely unable to cope. It's hero time Pup. Again.
WICKET: Oh dear, Warner falls to an excellent ball from Harbhajan Singh. LBW. He made 23 off 61 balls, with a third of that coming in the last ten minutes. Big trouble for Australia here. AUSTRALIA 101/4
So, a really interesting few overs here in Chennai, where Australia have reacted to the loss of the early wickets by going on the attack. Pretty similar to their first innings, but they'll need to go way further to be in with a chance of anything here.
FOUR: And just enough time for one more off the over from Clarke. Dhoni is looking perplexed. AUSTRALIA 101/3
FOUR: Unbelievable. It's Clarke again, with a superb drive. Then another big appeal for lbw. Looks like it was headed down leg.
FOUR: And Warner helps himself to another. A beautifully timed sweep into green space. Excellent counter-attack from the big pairing. Warner is showing no signs of the gastro that held him back earlier in the order.
FOUR What a response from Clarke on the next ball. Down the midwicket, lovely drive. AUSTRALIA 85/3
BIG APPEAL. Jadeja pitches it down the middle, beats Clarke's inside edge and the Indians go up for lbw. Erasmus says no, and the replays show that he is correct. It wasn't going to straighten enough.
It's all action here, with Australia stuttering on this pitch, which is going from bad to worse. We're into the third over after drinks, and the run rate has slowed to a standstill as Warner and Clarke steady the ship. AUSTRALIA 81/3
G'day everyone, and thanks for your company as we move into the afternoon session in Chennai.
Everyone stop, and take a breath, especially if you're supporting Australia. Drinks time now, and maybe the Aussies can collect themselves in the break. I know I certainly need to, so Richard Shute will take over from here. Thanks for reading!
It's all happening all of a sudden, and not in the way the Australians would have wanted. Clarke looks uncomfortable at the crease, Warner not much better, and the Indians are pressing hard. Australia 3/66
Sehwag was the man who took the catch, by the way, and now Clarke comes in. Can he rescue the Aussies?
Just reflecting back on Cowan's wicket, and his disappointment. Seems he thought he'd been given out caught, and he thought he hadn't hit the ball at all. But the official call was out lbw. Not much to complain about there.
WICKET! Indians get their man the very next ball. Hughes gone for a duck, popping the ball up off Jadeja's bowling. Australia now 3/65.
Big appeal for a catch by the Indians but umpire Erasmus is not impressed. Indians thought the ball hit Hughes' glove as he attempted to sweep - and a replay shows they might be right. Hughes lucky.
WICKET! Cowan's the man out, lbw to Ashwin. He's not happy, Cowan, but not sure why...it hit his pad before the bat and looked pretty good. He made 32, Phil Hughes is next in. Australia now 2/64.
Cowan cuts and gets two from it. The crowd errupts! But no, it's not for you, Ed. It's Tendulkar fielding.
Australia stills trails here by 133 runs, but David Warner is showing signs that he doesn't want to be pinned down. He's trying to go over the top of the field in close, but so far can't find the boundary. Has worked a couple of singles though, which is still keeping the scoreboard moving for the Aussies. Australia 1/60
Another runout chance, this one much better, but the throw in was sloppy and well wide. Nowhere near the stumps.
Heading upstairs to the third umpire as the Indians appeal for a run out...pretty smooth work by Dhoni flicking the ball backwards onto the stumps. Not out though, Cowan was well back into his ground. Australia 1/53
No pressure or anything, but more than half the Indian team is up fielding close around David Warner as he faces Jadeja. Australia 1/52
Jadeja on, replacing Ashwin, and Australia has moved to 1/45.
Indians go up! They thought Harbhajan had Cowan caught but a replay showed the ball hitting his shoulder and possibly his chest.
Really difficult chance to catch Cowan at silly point there, but no luck for the Indians. Aussies struggling to make runs here (there's a David Warner toilet joke in there, somewhere). Australia 1/39.
Indians appealed in a big way for Warner lbw in that last over, but umpire Erasmus was not convinced. After a series of replays the last one shows Warner clearly edging onto his pads. Good decision. Australia 1/37
Warner facing Ashwin in the second over after lunch. Warner yet to get off the mark.
Quiet first over from all involved. Australia 1/35
Welcome back! Lunch is over and the Australian batsmen are out in the middle. David Warner is the new man in. He looks no worse the wear from his brief tummy upset. For now. Australia will resume at 1/34, trailing by 158, with Harbhajan Singh to start the bowling.
As the Aussies collect themselves after losing Watson on the last ball before lunch, you can read a recap of the action in a lunch report here.
And that's lunch, folks. Australia trails by 158 runs.
Oh dear. Shane Watson is OUT. He was forward and defending and the ball went up off the edge and seemed to hang in the air for an age before Sehwag took the simple catch. Watson is gone for 17 right on the lunch break, Australia 1/34.
Nice foot work from Shane Watson as he deals with Ashwin's slightly fuller ball, sending it away for four.
Ashwin is back for the last over before lunch, Watson on strike and defending.
Jadeja building the pressure on the Australians despite that last Harbhajan over and he's created tow chances - one lbw appeal turned down by the umpire and a chance for a catch (would have been a pretty impressive one had it been taken, right in close to the bat). No luck for him though. Australia 0/30.
And now Shane Watson goes for one, sending Harbhajan's slightly short delivery over the rope and well into the stands. Runs actually flowing now, Australia 0/28
Harbhajan resumes now, and there's a boundary! Australia tears away to 0/22, thatnks to those four byes.
Field up around Cowan who is defending, defending, defending against Jadeja. And watching the odd one go through to Dhoni. Aussies still 0/18
Another over gone, another run added to the Australian total. Cowan on 11, Watson on 7 and Australia 0/18
Good over by Jadeja, getting the ball to turn and slipping it past Watson on more than one occasion. Maiden over, Australia still 0/17.
Jadeja into the attack now, Watson on strike.
Dhoni playing around with his field and there is a short holdup in play as chest pads and helmets are brought onto the field. Bit of an anti-climax after that lengthy wait as Watson works the single and Australia moves to 0/17
End of another Harbhajan over and the Australians are starting to look a little more confident. They may not be piling on the runs but they no longer seem quite so bamboozled by the Indian spin. Australia still 0/12
Runs rolling in now, Australia at 0/12 trailing by 180 runs. Watson (6) is on strike facing Harbhajan Singh.
Cowan and Watson continue working the singles where they can, as pictures come up on the screen of the pitch. They are before and after shots- before sweeping, and after sweeping. Sweeping the dust and rubble off the top, that is.
After five overs, Australia has moved to 0/6. The openers look very uncomfortable and Australia trails by 186 runs.
Australia motoring along here at...0/3. Plenty of appeals from the Indians and Cowan and Watson look less than comfortable.
Word is that Warner is not opening because he has a stomach upset.
Ashwin resumes and the Indians go up again, this time for lbw, and it was a good shout, too. Cowan safe though, at the end of the over, the Aussies are 0/2
Indians up and appealing on the last ball of that over, they seemed sure they had Cowan caught cold at first slip. Umpire was completely unmoved though, and Cowan survives. End of the over, Australia still 0/1
India's spinner getting lots of turn early. Cowan just watching them go past at this point.
Watson and Cowan are out in the middle and have faced the first over. Watson faced the majority of the deliveries but it is Cowan who is off the mark. He is on 1, Australia 0/1 (though there was a shout for lbw in there). Ashwin was the bowler, and now Harbhajan Singh will bowl from the other end.
And that's the end of India's innings! Siddle was the bowler and Michael Clarke took a fairly easy catch at mid-off. Kumar was the man who hit it. India all out for 572. They lead the Aussies by 192 runs.
At 9/571, India extends its lead to 191 runs. Another fairly uneventful Lyon over just gone, as once again the Indians play it safe but keep the scoreboard ticking over.
That's the end of Siddle's over, and India moves to 9/567.
The Australians weren't confident of that one, and though it was closer than it looked initially, Sharma was in and had his bat grounded when the Wade throw came back at the stumps. Not out.
Another Siddle over underway, some more good batting by Kumar, working the ball around and moving India to 9/566. Umpires going upstairs to check a runout.
India 9/564, with a half chance for a catch in close off the last ball of the over. No luck for the Aussies.
Did i say keep on keeping on? Kumar makes a liar out of me by smashing a beautiful four off the first ball of Lyon's new over. Lyon's figures now 3/211
End of another over and the Indians just keep on keeping on. Working a single here and there, keeping the Aussies out in the field, and gradually increasing their lead. 9/559
Siddle is back into the attack for Australia. Has not got a wicket so far.
India leads now by 178, at the end of that Lyon over. Aussies looking pretty over it in the field. 9/558.
FOUR BYES. Attempted yorker there. Sharma tried to get hit bat to it but couldn't - no matter, as it runs past Wade anyway. India 9/555
Boundaries have dried up now, but Kumar is not just playing defensive. He trying to make things happen, moving the ball around, but sometimes the execution just isn't there. Not unexpected from a tail-ender. India 9/551
Kumar takes two, and then a single to finish out the over. He clearly wants to keep the strike. You might call that "doing a Dhoni". India 9/549
Kumar on strike now, as Lyon starts another over. It must be slightly nerve-racking to have Sharma as your partner after batting with Dhoni for so long.
It was a nice bouncer that caught Dhoni out, but it was a fairly subdued celebration from Pattinson (as you might expect after Dhoni did what he pleased for pretty much a day).
THERE IT IS! Pattinson gets Dhoni caught behind! What an innings by Dhoni, he walks off the field after a mighty 224. Huge breakthrough for the Aussies, India now 9/546. Ishant Sharma is the new man in.
Slight pause in play here as the umpires look to change the ball. Probably all those fours and sixes that Dhoni has been smashing.
Pattinson joins Lyon in rubbing his face in frustration as he too gets smashed for four. Dhoni moves to 224 and the Indians to 8/546
Another four, again the fielders close in lunge for it, again it slips through and races away to the rope. Must feel like a nightmare for Lyon. 8/542
Half chance for a catch there, but the fieldsman was back on the rope so elected to take it off one bounce instead, keeping the run to a single. India 8/538
India at 8/537, and Dhoni looks like he has no intention of going anywhere. And since he's taking the majority of the strike and protecting Kumar, Kumar looks pretty comfortable, too.
Pattinson again, and Dhoni sends it through the off side, and could this be his first mistake? He clearly thought there was a two there, but could only take one...
End of Lyon's second over, and that was an expesnive one, with a single off the last ball meaning Dhoni will keep the strike. He is doing as he pleases again today.
Dhoni back on strike now, facing Lyon, and he has unleashed. Huge six down the ground! 8/535
Lyon resumes and...there's another four, through Kumar this time. Slipped right past the fieldsmen in close. Clarke lunged for it but couldn't react fast enough.
FOUR. Pattinson sends one well wide of both Dhoni and Wade and it runs away to the rope for four byes. India 8/524
Big appeal from Pattinson and the Aussies for lbw...no dice. Umpire was not moved, and Pattinson trudges back to his mark. Looked to hit him outside the line.
Now Pattinson will take the ball at the other end. Dhoni will face him first.
Dhoni kept most of the strike in his partnership with Kumar yesterday and although he looks set to play the same way early on today he is also seemingly happy to work a single or two. India 8/520
There it is...Dhoni's first boundary of the day comes off Nathan Lyon's second ball. A little bit of reverse work from Dhoni and there in no fielder to stop it running away. Crowd loved that...
Nathan Lyon will kick things off this morning. India leads by 135 runs, at 8/515.
Good afternoon, and welcome to our coverage of day four of the first Test between India and Australia in Chennai. It was Dhoni's day yesterday, he smashed 206 to be not out overnight. Joining him at the crease today will be Kumar (on 16). Looks to be another hot and humid day ahead, with the Aussies needing two more wickets before they get the chance to respond with the bat.
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