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.

Skipper Virat Kohli's participation in the fourth and deciding Test against Australia here hangs in balance even as young Mumbai batsman Shreyas Iyer has been called as cover.

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".

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.

India have withdrawn an official protest about the actions of Australia captain Steve Smith in the second Test as the governing bodies of both countries moved to bring an end to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.

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.

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.

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.

Mitchell Starc may have won the opening duel against Indian skipper Virat Kohli by getting the star batsman out for a duck in the first Test, but the Australian fast bowler insists the battle has just begun.

Barring a last-minute intervention from the home side, the second Test between India and Australia will be played on a "sporting" pitch which will be fair to both teams, organisers in Bengaluru have said.

Members of the Indian cricket team, led by skipper Virat Kohli, go on a nature hike to soothe the pain of their heavy defeat to Australia in the first Test.

Australia's superstar skipper Steve Smith had joined another exclusive group of batsmen following his brilliant hundred in the first Test against India in Pune.

Australia hailed the extraordinary victory by their cricketers in the first Test against India in Pune on Sunday, the plaudits just about drowning out the expressions of stunned surprise at a triumph almost no one expected.

For the first time in 933 days, India captain Virat Kohli has been dismissed in Test cricket without scoring.

Australia's left-arm spinner Steve O'Keefe dispatched six Indian batsmen in just 24 balls after lunch as the hosts collapsed to 105 all out in the opening Test in Pune on Friday.