Boxing Day Test set for epic finish

India offspinner Ravichandran Ashwin accepts his side’s run chase will be tricky no matter what target Australia sets them on day five of the Boxing Day Test.

But Ashwin has vowed India will either win or go down swinging at the MCG, where they will seek the remarkable victory needed to keep the four-Test series alive.

Australia will resume at 7-261 on Tuesday, already boasting a 326-run lead.

Shaun Marsh is 62 not out, while Ryan Harris is unbeaten on eight.

India have staged an epic fightback since Steve Smith scored his Test-best 192, which guided Australia to a first-innings total of 530.

But they will likely need to set a new record, with 7-332 in 1928 being the highest successful run chase in an MCG Test.

“Any score on the final day is going to be tricky,” Ashwin said.

“It’s a Test match and … it’s going to test every single aspect of your game and your attitude.

“It’s going to be hard work, but we’re up for it – we’re here to win games of cricket.

“We’ll be positive and try and see where we can go.”

Australia will reclaim the Border-Gavaskar if they win or draw the third Test.

Given that equation, don’t expect an aggressive overnight declaration.

“Shaun Marsh is batting fantastic and we saw what Ryan Harris did in the first innings so hopefully he can produce something similar tomorrow,” David Warner said after day four.

“I’ve got no idea about a declaration but I think we need a few more runs than what we have got on the board at the moment.”

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