Virat Kohli continued to antagonise Australia, but the hosts boasted a 326-run lead over India at stumps on day four of the Boxing Day Test.

India, needing victory at the MCG to keep their hopes of retaining the Border-Gavaskar trophy alive, fought back brilliantly with the bat on Sunday.

On Monday they backed it up in the field, but a record run-chase is likely to be required with Australia 7-261 at stumps after Shaun Marsh’s steadying 62 not out.

David Warner blasted a quick-fire 40, while Chris Rogers posted a fourth consecutive half-century.

Marsh rallied with his maiden half-century on home soil, but Australia’s top order otherwise failed to convert starts into scores of substance.

History suggests Australia can almost start to feel comfortable – England’s 7-332 in 1928 is the highest successful run-chase in an MCG Test.

But India will draw confidence from Kohli’s 169 on day three.

Kohli taunted Mitchell Johnson during that masterful knock then declared he had no reason to respect some Australian cricketers.

The 26-year-old was part of the Indian contingent that gave Johnson a vocal send-off on day four.

Kohli also offered Brad Haddin some unsolicited advice.

With Australia 5-176 and the game in the balance when Haddin joined the fray, Kohli made a beeline for the 37-year-old.

As Haddin asked for and marked centre, a chirpy Kohli shadowed him in a fashion more commonly associated with AFL taggers at the venue.

Australia added a total of 15 runs in the 10 overs following tea, which was taken 70 minutes late due to a rain delay in the second session.

Joe Burns, Haddin and Johnson were all dismissed in a topsy-turvy final session.

Marsh kept his cool then counterattacked, reaching 50 off 112 balls with a lofted six over the head of offspinner Ravichandran Ashwin.

Rogers top-scored with 69, but the veteran opener was almost out edging on 33 and 56.

Shikhar Dhawan gave Rogers a reprieve in the first over after lunch, dropping a catch at second slip.

India captain MS Dhoni later claimed a sharp leg-side catch when the hosts were 3-139.

But umpire Richard Kettleborough called for the third umpire, replays suggesting the ball scraped the turf before getting scooped up in Dhoni’s gloves.

The incident won’t help heated relations between the two sides.

A total of four misconduct fines were dished out in the opening two Tests, while Kohli claimed Australia called him a “spoilt brat” on day three in Melbourne.

Warner started swapping barbs with Cheteshwar Pujara in the second over of Australia’s second dig.

When Ishant Sharma pointed at the belligerent opener from mid-on and started quarrelling, stump microphones picked up Warner using the word “Bollywood” as a retort.

Nursing a sore left thumb and a badly bruised right forearm, Warner raced to 37 off 25 balls after eight overs before Ashwin started to curtail Australia’s momentum.

The day started with Johnson striking twice in 12 minutes to bowl India out for 465.