After conceding a 105-run lead after the first innings, India had Australia at 91-6 in their second innings, but a lower-order rearguard, culminating in a 55-run stand for the tenth wicket between Nathan Lyon and Scott Boland put the hosts ahead in the game. At the end of day four, Australia were 228-9, before adding six more runs on the fifth morning to end with a 339-run lead.

India will already require a record chase, with no team successfully chasing as many runs to win a Test at the MCG. England chased down 332 for a win back in 1928. It is the only time that any team has chased over 300 at the venue for a Test win.

In the last 50 years, the highest run-chase in a win at the MCG has been 231, which Australia gunned down during the 2013/14 Ashes. It is also the only time a target of over 200 has been chased in this period.

India, who have chased down a target of more than 300 for a Test victory thrice - the latest of which came at the Gabba in January 2021, when they made 329-7, will be on the back foot once their innings begins, but they do have a strong batting line-up, with Washington Sundar coming out at No.8. Sundar combined with Nitish Kumar Reddy after India had slipped to 221-7, making 50 in 162 balls as India successfully avoided the follow-on. Reddy scored his maiden Test ton as the duo faced 47.1 overs for the eighth wicket.

Highest Test chases at the MCG