Melbourne (AFP) - Young opener Yashasvi Jaiswal struck a gritty half-century Monday to keep Australia at bay as India reached 112-3 at tea, with hopes alive of escaping the fourth Test with a draw.

The 23-year-old Jaiswal overcame a shaky start to be on 63 off 159 balls while Rishabh Pant was 28.

The pair batted through the second session of the final day in an unbroken partnership of 79 after India lost three wickets just before lunch.

With a minimum of 38 overs still to be bowled, India need an unlikely 228 more runs to reach their target of 340, while Australia require seven wickets to take a 2-1 lead into the final Test in Sydney, beginning Friday.

But the possibility of a draw loomed into view as Jaiswal and Pant adopted a risk-free approach against a home attack showing signs of running out of ideas as the ball began to age.

Unlike the period with the new ball before lunch, Australia struggled to create chances and Jaiswal looked much more comfortable than when routinely beaten by quick bowlers Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc in the first session.

Australia’s best hope could rest on making inroads with the second new ball, although it will only become available with about an hour of play remaining.

India have shown little taste for taking on what would be a record fourth-innings chase at Melbourne to go 2-1 up in the five-match series.

The cheap dismissals of veterans Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul and Virat Kohli were a major setback as India limped to 33-3 at lunch.

Kohli departed off the final ball before the interval, having scored just five when he tried to drive a wide delivery from Starc and edged to Usman Khawaja at first slip.

Australia captain Cummins made a double breakthrough in the 17th over and has taken 2-19, continuing a brilliant all-round performance in which he scored 49 and 41 with that bat.

Opposing skipper Rohit had batted with discipline but fell when attempting an aggressive whip across the line that flew quickly to Mitchell Marsh at gully.

The out-of-form Rohit has failed to go past 10 in three Tests after missing the opener in Perth for the birth of his second child.

India were 25-1 at that stage and it quickly became 25-2 as Rahul fell five balls later, snicking a rising Cummins delivery to Khawaja at first slip.

Earlier, Australia’s stubborn final-wicket stand of 61 was finally broken 10 balls into the day when Nathan Lyon was bowled by Jasprit Bumrah for 41.

Last man Scott Boland scored a dogged not out on 15 off 74 balls.

The exceptional Bumrah took 5-57 to give the fast bowler nine wickets for the Test and 30 across the first four Tests of the series.