Australian paceman Ben Hilfenhaus believes the key to the tourists winning the first Test in India

Ben Hilfenhaus has dragged Australia back into the first Test at Mohali after the visitors set India a target of 216 runs to win on day four.

India 405 and 55 for 4 (Tendulkar 10*, Zaheer 5*, Hilfenhaus 3-22) need another 161 runs to beat Australia 428 and 192 (Watson 56, Ishant 3-34, Zaheer 3-43)

Australia looked in dire straits after collapsing to be all out for 192 shortly after tea, but Hilfenhaus evened up the contest with three late wickets to leave India teetering at 4-55, 161 runs short of victory.

SACHIN Tendulkar stood between Australia and a remarkable victory over India after another wildly fluctuating day of the first Test at Mohali.

But high class spells by Ben Hilfenhaus (3-22), Doug Bollinger (1-17) and Mitchell Johnson (0-11) reduced India to a very wobbly 4-55 in pursuit of 216 by Monday's close.

"We've got plans to come out in the morning to bowl to each batter, and as long as we stick to that and keep putting pressure on, we can definitely sense victory there.

"But everyone is in a good frame of mind and we believe that whoever is at the crease can do a job for the team.

"We'll try our level best."

Shane Watson became only the third Australian, after Damien Martyn and Allan Border, to score a century and a half-century in the same Test in India. Martyn scored 114 and 97 in Nagpur in 2004, and Border made 162 and 50 in Madras in 1979.

Both Simon Katich and Mike Hussey reached the 4000 run mark in the second innings in Mohali. It was the 53rd Test for both batsmen.