Australia have defied expectations with their fight in India but with all to play for in the final Test in Dharamsala, Steve Smith's team would not leave happy with a drawn series, according to former wicketkeeper-batsman Adam Gilchrist.

India and Australia begin the finale of a bitterly fought Test series Saturday, with home skipper Virat Kohli keen to silence attacks that even Australia's ex-skipper Michael Clarke has warned are "getting out of control".

David Warner has never suffered from a lack of confidence and his experience of battling through previous run droughts has the Australian opener convinced he will soon be getting big scores on the board again.

Skipper Steve Smith scored an unbeaten 178 as Australia were bowled out for 451 in the afternoon session on day two of the third Test against India in Ranchi.

Under-fire skipper Steve Smith cracked a gritty century as he combined with the recalled Glenn Maxwell to give Australia the opening day honours in the third Test against India in Ranchi Thursday.

Indian skipper Virat Kohli said on Wednesday he had no regrets over a war of words with his Australian counterpart Steve Smith as the two sides prepare to resume their bitter battle for Test supremacy.

Keeping a lid on emotion will be nearly as important as executing gameplans for both India and Australia when the world's top two teams continue their captivating series with the third Test in Ranchi on Thursday.

An actor tethered to a homemade parachute made out of bras flies his way to the top of a quirky Australian competition, beating other contestants dressed as a balloon horse and winged reptile.

Pat Cummins is in sight of a long-awaited second Test after being rushed into the Australia squad to replace injured pace spearhead Mitchell Starc for the remainder of the series in India.

Trevor Hohns was named as the chairman of Australia's cricket selectors on Friday after steadying the ship as caretaker chief following a string of defeats last year.

India have withdrawn an official protest about the actions of Australia captain Steve Smith in the second Test as the governing bodies of both countries moved to bring an end to the acrimony surrounding the ongoing four-match series.

Australia were set a target of 188 runs for victory in the second Test and a 2-0 series lead on Tuesday after Josh Hazlewood picked up career-best figures of 6-67 to rip through India's batting on the fourth morning of the match.

Former Test wicketkeeper Ian Healy says he's "losing respect" for India captain Virat Kohli, and believes his confrontational attitude is heaping pressure on his teammates.

Australian seamer Josh Hazlewood took three wickets, including the prized scalp of skipper Virat Kohli, to damage India's fightback on the third day of a closely-fought second Test Monday.

India are confident they can end a string of batting collapses in their second innings and set Australia a competitive target to chase in the second Test, batsman Cheteshwar Pujara said on Sunday.

Tensions flared in a gripping opening hour of day two of the second Test, with rival skippers Steve Smith and Virat Kohli sharing a heated chat for several overs.

Fighting half-centuries from Shaun Marsh and Matt Renshaw helped Australia secure a crucial first-innings lead over world number one India in the second Test in Bangalore on Sunday.

Former Australia Test batsman and current national selector Mark Waugh has labelled Virat Kohli's dismissal on day one in Bengaluru as a “brain fade”.

Off-spinner Nathan Lyon claimed a career-best haul of eight wickets to help Australia bowl out India for a paltry 189 and take opening day honours in the second Test in Bangalore on Saturday.

Batsman Murali Vijay on Wednesday rejected the idea that the Pune pitch was to blame for India's drubbing in the first Test against Australia despite it being classified as "poor" by the match referee.