Tempers boiled over between Australia and India in Adelaide, and David Warner won the fight to set up an engrossing finish to the Adelaide Test. 

The first flashpoint came before tea on the fourth day as the Australians built their lead, when Warner was clean-bowled by India's young pace menace Varun Aaron for 66. 

The temperature rose sharply at various stages on day four in Adelaide. Photo: Getty Images

A steamed-up Aaron gave Warner a send-off as he made for the dressing room, which came back at him with interest after replays showed the fast bowler had bowled a front-foot no ball. As the provocative Australian put his helmet back on he yelled "Come on!" to Aaron, prompting Shikhar Dhawan to march up from the slips to fly the flag between balls.

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Captain Virat Kohli and non-striker Shane Watson both got involved in the imbroglio as the umpires tried to shoo the players back to their respective corners. Dhawan carried on the conversation with English umpire Ian Gould as the over progressed.

Warner admitted he shouldn't have retaliated, but said Aaron's celebration got his juices flowing. "That's cricket... There's a few send offs here and there. He bowled tight and he thought he deserved that reward. It's unlucky in cricket that you bowl no-balls and when things don't go your own way you get that adrenaline," he said. "For me to sort of go at him a little bit, I shouldn't have, but it got me into another contest.

Virat Kohli and David Warner after the incident. Photo: Getty Images

"The world knows how I like to get involved and how I like to play my cricket. That's how it is. I try and take it to him, if I have to be a bit verbal I will. Sometimes I do cross that line, I've got to try not to."

Later, after Warner celebrated his second century of the match, another argument broke out when an ambitious appeal for lbw against Steve Smith was turned down. Smith had a word with Rohit Sharma, then Warner and Kohli got involved and Gould again wagged his finger.

"I don't know if the temperature got to 40 degrees plus but I think it was getting to a few people out there," Warner said.

The eruption of spotfires did nothing to suggest the umpires had control of the situation, and prompted Shane Warne in the Channel Nine commentary box to suggest the umpires should report someone rather than allow the arguments to continue.

Indian batsman Ajinkya Rahane claimed what happened was "good for cricket", but team management later clarified that he meant it was part of the game.

"Tension? Not really," he said. "It's going to happen in cricket. Varun bowled that delivery and it was a no ball, that's going to happen in the sport. I feel it was competitive and good for the game." 

The first incident seemed to fire up Aaron, who has been off the boil in this match but started bowling dangerous reverse-swinging yorkers, but it was Warner who prevailed.

He powered Australia towards a lead of 363 at stumps, with three sessions to bowl India out and take a one-nil series lead. The tourists will turn up on day five expecting a declaration. The highest victorious fourth-innings test total at Adelaide Oval is Australia's 6-315 in 1902.

Smith and Mitch Marsh, who blasted 52 not out and 40, respectively, helped Australia reach 5-290 at stumps. 

While Warner's 145 in the first innings was heavy with emotion, in the second he was his belligerent and pugnacious self.

His leaping celebration, after pulling a boundary to reach his hundred, was much more exuberant but he still raised both arms skywards in acknowledgement of Phillip Hughes. 

Warner played reverse sweeps to the leg spin of Karn. He belted Ishant Sharma back over his for four. He sailed past 1000 Test runs for the calendar year, with only Kumar Sangakkara, Younis Khan and Angelo Mathews ahead of him in 2014.

Warner needed some luck. Apart from being bowled off a no ball, he was given not out when Aaron was convinced he had him caught behind off the glove on 70, and was dropped on 89 in the gully. 

He and Watson shared a partnership of 102 but it was broken straight after tea, when Mohammed Shami bowled Watson between bat and pad. 

Warner and Smith then frustrated the Indian bowlers until Warner was bowled attempting a fancy switch hit to Karn for 102.

Australia's hopes of victory will depend largely on whether Nathan Lyon can repeat his first innings heroics.

India's fighting effort to post 444 in response to Australia's 517 in the first innings suggests their batsmen won't succumb meekly, but the footmarks created by Mitchell Johnson and Ishant Sharma will give the Australian off-spinner plenty of encouragement. 

Lyon ran through the tail on Friday morning, finishing with figures of 5-134 from 36 overs. He flighted the ball and attacked the rough, while Peter Siddle chimed in to finish off the innings.

Rahane said patience would be the mantra for the Indians. "All the batsmen have good skills but it's going to be a test of our mindset. If we apply ourselves really well I am sure everyone will do well." 

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