Australia’s hopes of seizing control of the Border-Gavaskar Series in Brisbane were dealt a significant blow after India avoided the follow-on on a gripping day at the Gabba.

Watch every ball of Australia v India LIVE & ad-break free during play in 4K on Kayo | New to Kayo? Get your first month for just $1. Limited time offer.

A valiant effort from Australian captain Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc was met by an even braver performance from the Indian lower order in an enthralling display of Test cricket.

Having started the day at 4-51, India received a massive reprieve with first innings centurion Steve Smith dropped KL Rahul with the first ball of the day and another when Josh Hazlewood was effectively ruled out for the rest of the series after suffering a calf injury.

But they still required another 196 to avoid the follow-on and courtesy of brave batting from Rahul and Ravindra Jadeja initially, and then tailenders Jasprit Bumrah and Akash Deep towards stumps, they survived a tense day.

When Deep top-edged Cummins for four with a shot that narrowly flew over the top of gully, the Indians passed the follow on target of 245.

To add insult to injury, Deep then smashed the tiring Cummins for six into the stands, only to walk from the ground a couple of balls later when offered the light by the umpires.

India is 9-252, still 193 runs behind Australia, which must now decide how to approach the final day of what has been an intriguing, if rain-marred, third Test.

MATCH CENTRE: Latest scores, updates from Australia vs India 3rd Test

Cummins, who looked fatigued at the end of a testing day, now has to weigh how long Australia should bat for, what would be a safe target to set and also balance the merits of an another prolonged assault with the ball and how that might affect the rest of the series.

The loss of Hazlewood is a clear blow, particularly given there are questions surrounding Mitch Marsh.

While he has taken three brilliant catches, he has bowled only two overs for the match, following the four that he delivered in Adelaide last week. But after play, Australia’s assistant coach Daniel Vettori said the Western Australian was fit to bowl.

“Yeah, he’s good to go. There’s no issues around his fitness,” Vettori said.

“It was just the way that the weather delays came that allowed Patty and Mitch to keep going. He’ll be an incredibly important part of the next two Tests, particularly Melbourne, a wicket that suits him.

“To be able to compliment whoever comes into that team, that’s when he’s at his best.”

Hazlewood managed only one over this morning before limping from the field and is doubtful of playing again this summer, according to Cricket Australia.

Before the extent of his injury was revealed, the right-arm quick spent the entire first drinks break in conversation with captain Cummins, vice-captain Steve Smith and the team physio regarding the injury.

“Without any question, I think we will be seeing Scott Boland at the MCG,” England great Michael Vaughan said on Fox Cricket’s commentary.

“I’m not too sure he (Hazlewood) will bowl much more. Mitchell Marsh can come on and bowl a few. He looks ginger, like he is really struggling. He’s walking back gingerly (and) he is just not right.”

It ensures Scott Boland will play at the MCG and there is now pressure on the star duo of Starc and Cummins to remain fresh enough to sustain their brilliance through the entire summer.

Vaughan has no doubt Hazlewood was missed on Day 4 as the Australians strived to bowl the Indians out, describing it as a “big blow” for the hosts. But he said having a bowler with the ability of Boland in reserve would lessen the blow at the MCG.

“I guess if you are ever going to go to a venue and miss a bowler, you have the perfect replacement in Scott Boland, who loves bowling at his home venue,” Vaughan said.

At some stage this summer, Smith will set a new Australian record for catches in the field, outside of those taken by specialist wicketkeepers.

Among the highlights will be the spectacular catch he snared to dismiss KL Rahul from the bowling of Nathan Lyon when the Indian opener was on 84, which took him to 189 dismissals, just seven behind Ricky Ponting’s record.

It is certain to feature in a highlights reel demonstrating his skill, for the anticipation, reflexes and athleticism the 35-year-old showed to take the catch at slip was stunning.

But what is also certain is that Smith would have swapped the moment for the regulation catch he spilled from the bowling of Cummins on the opening ball given the way the rest of Day 4 unfolded. That would have seen Rahul depart for 33 and left India at 5-51.

Fox Cricket expert Adam Gilchrist described the spill as “very uncharacteristic”, while Kerry O’Keeffe said that Smith “does not drop sodas”, an accurate description of how straight-forward the chance was for a man who has been a master in the slips.

“Steve Smith, (that’s) quite unbelievable — he’s a man who just catches everything, and he has put down one of the more regulation slips catches,” Fox Cricket expert and Australian legend Adam Gilchrist on commentary.

Having survived, Rahul demonstrated the considerable fight with which he has approached this series, thriving for another 25 overs and adding 51 runs to his own score while anchoring a valuable partnership with Jadeja.

With the series evenly balanced, the day progressed with an air of tension, with Australia pressing and India resisting. With the clock ticking, there was a premium on every run and every chance and half-chance. It was as though the entire series could be on the line and that may yet prove the case with one day and two Tests remaining.

With Jadeja batting with the tail after Rahul and then Nitish Kumar Reddy departed, he rode his luck and opted to take the blade to the hard-working Australian attack missing Hazlewood and, curiously, Marsh given his lack of overs.

A straight six off the bowling of Nathan Lyon reduced the margin India needed to avoid the follow-on from 44 to 38. An edge flew over the slips cordon for another four.

Fields and bowling tactics changed depending on who was facing. As O’Keeffe noted, the “Australians were straining” and the desperation was evident on their faces.

Eventually the Australians snared Jadeja, with the skipper Cummins tempting him to pull before Mitch Marsh snared another magnificent catch, this time near square leg, with Rahul later praising the all-rounder for what could prove a match-saving knock.

“He was brilliant today, and he has been brilliant batting down the order for us for many, many years. That’s what we expect of Jadeja, and he’s proven that he can do this, and he’s done this for so many years,” Rahul said.

“(I’m) really happy that, firstly, I could stitch a partnership with him when he came in — it was really needed at that stage — and then he went on to score 70, 80 runs with the tail.

“Every run today was crucial for us, just to get past that follow-on firstly and see how many runs we can put on board. He made that possible.”

The resistance continued after Jadeja’s exit, with Bumrah and Deep whittling the deficit to the follow-on down while also seeking to wear out Cummins and Starc in the process.

Coming together requiring 33 to pass the important milestone, the last pair batted with significant grit. Bumrah hooked Cummins for six. Deep drove him down the ground. French Cuts narrowly eluded the stumps as the Australians pressed and pressed.

When Deep edged a four from Cummins just over the top of gully to pass the follow-on, so to speak, he thumped his heart as the Indian change room celebrated with high fives and applause. Deep finished unbeaten on 27, while Bumrah is not out on 10.

It was gripping Test cricket. And even though Australia carried a 192-run advantage into the second innings, it felt as though the hosts had sustained a significant body blow in the series.

Re-live day four of the third Test between Australia and India live below!