Lyon hails Australia bowling display

Nathan Lyon felt Australia produced a "brilliant" bowling performance on day two in Dharamsala as the decisive fourth Test with India remained too close to call.

After being dismissed for 300 with one over of the opening day remaining, the tourists limited India to 248-6 on Sunday.

Off-spinner Lyon was central to keeping Australia firmly in the game, claiming four wickets in the evening session after Ajinkya Rahane's side had threatened to seize control.

Yet seamers Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood also impressed on a pitch that has so far provided an excellent balance between bat and ball, while Steve O'Keefe posed problems despite bowling 24 overs without success.

Lyon. Pic: Getty

"It was just brilliant to bowl in partnerships," Lyon told former Australia captain Michael Clarke in a televised end-of-day interview. "I thought we were brilliant with the ball, to restrict them to 240-odd was a pretty good effort by all the bowlers.

"Especially in the first couple of sessions it didn't seem to do much, but as the day progressed there seemed to be a lot more variation with the spinning ball and also a bit of bounce out there for me.

"They're a world-class batting line-up, we know that. You've got to bowl consistent to them and challenge them. That's what I've been pretty proud about this whole series.

"As a bowling unit, we've challenged these guys in their own back yard. So we can go home at the end of the series pretty proud of our efforts, but saying that there's a long way to go."

Asked what Australia would hope to set India in the fourth innings, Lyon jokingly replied: "I know I'd like to set them 500, but that's going to be a big challenge for us!"

He added: "We'll have to come out and bowl well in partnerships, take four wickets and then get batting and bat big.

"Whatever we set is going to have to be enough - it's a massive game for us and I know we're up for the challenge."