Australia may require more Nathan Lyon magic in the final innings of the fourth Test, as India seek to save face at the SCG.

The tourists will resume at 1-71 on day three in Sydney, the hosts having amassed a total of 7-572 when Steve Smith declared shortly after tea on day two.

Murali Vijay was dismissed for a duck in the opening over, but Rohit Sharma (40no) and KL Rahul (31no) steadied.

For the first time in Test history, Australia’s top six all passed 50 – a sign of both India’s woeful bowling and a placid pitch.

Smith, who scored 117 to lift his series tally to a ridiculous 698 runs, admitted his side had a lot of work to do if they’re to finish the series with a 3-0 lead.

“For us it’s just about patience and hopefully it breaks up a little bit,” Smith said of the pitch.

“It hasn’t changed at all over the last couple of days.”

If India continue their resolute response with the bat, Lyon looms as a potential match-winner for the hosts.

Lyon snared career-best match figures of 12-286 at Adelaide Oval, inflicting a late collapse as he spun Australia to a remarkable 48-run win in the first Test.

“The wicket’s not going to get any better and Nathan Lyon’s licking his lips,” Mitchell Starc told the Nine Network.

“Hopefully it starts to turn some more for Gaz and there’s some uneven bounce for us quicks.”

Lyon will be hoping Starc helps create some serious rough for him to aim at.

“I hope the footmarks are more prevalent in the next couple of days. It’d be nice to have that option,” Smith said of Lyon.

“It’s not the sort of wicket where we can blast them out.

“We’re going to have to build lots of pressure, hopefully Lyono can come into his own in the last couple of days.”