Nathan Lyon looms as Australia’s fifth-day trump card in the first Test, with the offspinner thanking Ishant Sharma for creating demons in the Adelaide Oval pitch.

Lyon regularly threatened India on day three, when stand-in skipper Virat Kohli scored a century to boost his side to a score of 5-369 at stumps.

Michael Clarke declared at 7-517 before the start of play on Thursday, with the tourists now trailing by 148 runs.

Every Indian batsman made a start, with Kohli, Murali Vijay, Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane all passing 50.

Lyon, fresh from an underwhelming series against Pakistan where he captured three Test wickets at an average of 140, was the hosts’ most potent bowler, modest figures of 2-103 belying his performance.

“It’s pretty easy, we had big Ishant running down the middle of the wicket,” Lyon said, when asked to analyse the difference between the UAE and Adelaide.

“I’m thankful for him making some footmarks.

“Hopefully he does it the whole series.

“I’m enjoying it now and it’s only day three … I expect there’s going to be a fair amount of deterioration in the pitch.”

Even Kohli struggled at times against Lyon, who flighted the ball and attacked the rough.

Lyon’s best effort came in the final session – a sharp-turning ball that reared at Rahane violently.

Rahane was bamboozled, looking to his left before realising the edge had instead floated to Shane Watson at first slip.

“Unplayable,” Shane Warne said, while calling the game for the Nine Network.

“It’s insane … you just got to hope it hits your arm or something.

“He’s bowled beautifully today.”

Vijay lashed a pair of sixes off Lyon in the morning session, the tweaker stuck with figures of 0-34 from five overs at lunch.

He responded with an outstanding 12-over spell from the City End in the middle session.

The highlight was the wicket of Pujara for 73 in somewhat fortuitous circumstances – the ball ricocheting off the thigh, between Pujara’s legs and onto the stumps.

Pujara felt “a little unlucky”, but was impressed with Lyon’s development since Australia toured India last year.

“He’s improved his bowling, no doubt about it,” Pujara said.

Mitchell Johnson was expected to be India’s chief tormentor and he certainly lived up to that title in a sharp three-over spell at the end of the morning session.

Vijay wore one bouncer on the body and ducked under another before he was caught behind off Johnson.

The next delivery shook up both Kohli and Johnson, with the left-armer striking the badge of Kohli’s helmet.

Johnson then dismissed Kohli for 115 in the third last over of the day.

“It probably put the game in the balance,” Lyon said.

Clarke fielded despite the flare-up of his chronic injury, shifting out of the slips to better manage the three degenerative discs in his lower back.

The 33-year-old required treatment during the game and his short-term future remains unclear.

Paceman Peter Siddle was unwell, but managed to bowl 13 overs.

“The doctor thinks he should be right to come back tomorrow morning,” Lyon said of Siddle.