Mitchell Johnson celebrates after dismissing Shikhar Dhawan. Picture: Scott Barbour/Getty Source: Getty Images

As expected, Michael Clarke declared Australia’s second innings closed at the overnight score of 5-290, setting Indian the tantalising target of scoring 364 off 98 overs on the final day, the asking rate an achievable 3.72 runs per over.

LIVE BLOG: Australia v India, day five

By lunch, the visitors had advanced to 2-105, off 34 overs, the run rate not far off the pace at 3.08 and with captain Virat Kohli looking very determined on 25, in company with Murali Vijay (47), the game is building to an exciting finale.

India was dealt a cruel blow in only the fifth over of the day when opener Shikhar Dhawan incorrectly was given out caught off the glove down the legside by keeper Brad Haddin off the bowling of Mitchell Johnson for nine, with replays clearly showing English umpire Ian Gould got it wrong. The ball actually came off his right shoulder, not the glove.

But if the luck flowed Australia’s way on that occasion, it ebbed in favour of India shortly afterwards when South African umpire Marais Erasmus turned down a Nathan Lyon appeal for lbw appeal against Vijay on 24. Hawk Eye indicated the ball would have crashed into middle stump but, of course, such tracking technology could not be called upon because India refuses to accept the Decision Review System.

To be fair, the umpires have performed brilliantly in this match and, with the exception of a marginal call against Wriddhiman Saha by Erasmus in the first innings — given out caught at first slip when no bat was involved — both came into this tense final day with clean slates.

Erasums would be the man most under pressure as this match builds to a climax as he is standing at the River Torrens end from which Nathan Lyon is bowling. A most appealing bowling is Lyon, averaging at least one impassioned shout per over, but Erasmus, with that one conspicuous exception, got every call correct.

The Australian off-spinner holds the key to this match and the Indian know it, with Kohli in particular intent on taking the battle to him. But Lyon is holding his nerve and was rewarded for his persistence when he claimed the wicket of Cheteshwar Pujara for 21 in the 20th over.

The 26-year-old right-hander made the understandable mistake of playing for the off spin, of which there had been plenty, and was brought undone by Lyon’s arm ball to edge a catch to Haddin standing up over the stumps. Such catches are never easy but Haddin made it look easy, as indeed he had done when he pulled in the sharp legside catch that unfairly removed Dhawan.

Lyon bowled all but six overs from the Torrens end, to have lunch figures of 1-48 off 12, with the three pacemen Mitchell Johnson (1-12 off seven), Ryan Harris (0-24 off seven) and Peter Siddle (0-11 off five), all doing their best to keep the pressure on.