Australia have defended their decision to play only one spinner in the first Test in Chennai after India captain MS Dhoni ripped their bowling attack to shreds with a brutal double hundred.

Dhoni will resume on Monday’s fourth day on a career-best 206 with his side in complete control on 8-515 in reply to Australia’s first innings of 380.

Wicketkeeper/batsman Dhoni smashed 22 fours and five sixes from 243 deliveries.

Offspinner Nathan Lyon, the team’s sole specialist spinner for a match on a crumbling pitch, has figures of 3-182 from 40 overs. Only seven Australia bowlers have conceded more runs in a Test innings.

Debutant tailender Bhuvenshwar Kumar contributed 16 not out in a 109-run partnership for the ninth wicket.

It was Dhoni’s sixth hundred and first against Australia and came at a crucial time.

Dhoni shared a 128-run stand for the fifth wicket with Virat Kohli (107) after Australia had been in a strong position with India 4-196 when Sachin Tendulkar fell for 81.

“I still think we can win this game,” Wade said after stumps on Sunday.

“We certainly haven’t lost any confidence in Nathan.

“He bowled well at times and he got hit for a few runs at times.

“Unfortunately that’s bowling to good players in their conditions.

“If we can get a big enough lead, we need him to really spin the ball big and take a few wickets for us.

“He would have learnt a lot bowling in these conditions today.”

Former Australia batsman and hero of the Chennai tied Test of 1986 Dean Jones was among those calling for left-arm spinner Xavier Doherty to be picked for this match and Kohli said the Indians were surprised at Australia’s tactics.

“They had Xavier in the squad as well so we really thought he was going to play this game,” Kohli said.

Wade said it was hard to say if a twin-spin attack would have worked against Dhoni.

“He played really well so if we played two spinners he could have taken down the second spinner. Who knows?

“But our quicks are very good quicks, good reverse-swing bowlers so we back them 100 per cent as well as Nathan.”

James Pattinson claimed 4-89.

Seven India batsmen have been bowled in the innings so far, which is two shy of equalling the world record.

Debutant Moises Henriques’ first wicket came when the seamer rattled the stumps of the feisty Harbhajan Singh (11) at 8-406.

Harbhajan entered into a lively debate with Wade after an lbw appeal was rejected with Harbhajan on zero.

But Wade said there was no heat in the discussion and played down the incident.