PHOTOS: India hit back to leave MCG Test poised

Australia paceman Ben Hilfenhaus celebrated his return after a year in the freezer by tearing through India's middle order as the tourists were skittled for 282 before lunch on the third day of the first Test in Melbourne, on Wednesday.

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Hilfenhaus, dropped from the Test side after a poor Ashes series earlier this year, bowled Rahul Dravid with the second delivery of the morning for a gritty innings of 68 from 187 balls.

Half-centuries from Ricky Ponting and Mike Hussey rescued Australia as they reached 179-8 at stumps on the third day for an overall lead of 230.

Australia captain Michael Clarke also came undone against the rampaging India's pacers.

This time, it was Ishant Sharma, who bowled Clarke for one with an incoming delivery that took the inside edge.

Virat Kohli also failed to impress in his first Test outing in Australia before he was caught behind for 11 off Hilfenhaus.

Hilfenhaus then had India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni caught in the gully by Mike Hussey for six with the new ball.

It continued a poor run with the bat for Dhoni in Australia. In 9 Test innings in Australia, the India captain has not yet scored a half-century. His aggregate reads 143 runs at an average of 16.33 with a highest of 38.

Overnight watchman Ishant Sharma poked to wicketkeeper Brad Haddin on 11, after a defiant 106-minute knock to give Hilfenhaus his fifth wicket of the innings.

Hilfenhaus's brilliant spell left him with 5-75, his best bowling figures, and belied his reputation as a workhorse only capable of troubling batsmen with the new ball.

James Pattinson bowled paceman Zaheer Khan for four as India's hopes of building a big total on a flat pitch in bright morning sunshine at the Melbourne Cricket Ground were left in ruins.

Ravichandran Ashwin played a valuable innings of 31 from 35 balls, to garner some vital runs for India at the end.

Siddle got Ashwin caught behind to complete the rout with India left trailing Australia's first innings 333 by 51 runs.

From a comfortable 214 for two at one stage, India tumbled to 282 all out, losing their last eight wickets for 68 runs.

David Warner struggled to score five from 27 balls before he inside edged a wide delivery from pacer Umesh Yadav back on to his stumps.

Debutant Ed Cowan, who top scored in Australia's first innings with 68, was unable to repeat his heroics in the second essay.

He was trapped leg before wicket by Yadav after he offered no stroke and was struck in front of the stumps for eight.

Shaun Marsh, who made a duck in the first innings, failed yet again.

He tried to drive a full delivery from Yadav, but ended up inside edging it back on to his stumps to be bowled for three.

Australia captain Michael Clarke also came undone against the rampaging India's pacers.

This time, it was Ishant Sharma, who bowled Clarke for one with an incoming delivery that took the inside edge.

Veterans Ricky Ponting and Mike Hussey drove Australia to 81-4, an overall lead of 132, at the tea interval at the sun-bathed Melbourne Cricket Ground.

Former captain Ponting made his way to the centre with a purposeful stride and a rousing ovation from the stands but had to survive a tempestuous few overs off India's pacemen before settling down with a square cut blasted to the fence.

The 36-year-old Hussey, under pressure to retain his place in the re-building team after a pair of golden ducks in his last two innings, also weathered a torrid opening but combined well with Ponting to raise Australia's hopes of building a defendable total.

Hussey hung on for a gritty innings of 79 from 134 balls at stumps on day three, as his partners wilted at the other end.

With Hussey and Ponting raising their half-centuries and India desperately needing a breakthrough, captain Dhoni threw Zaheer the ball and the 33-year-old struck with his second delivery.

Flinging it full and wide, Zaheer coaxed Ponting (60) into a miscued drive that went straight to Virender Sehwag in the gully to end a 115-run stand with middle Hussey. That cut short Ponting's second successive innings in the 60s after each had promised more.

Zaheer then had Brad Haddin caught behind by VVS Laxman for six, ending a flighty 11-minute stint at the crease.

With Australia's underbelly exposed, Yadav twisted the knife further by dismissing paceman Siddle for four, with Dhoni diving to take a superb catch.

Australia captain Michael Clarke sprang a surprise by sending spinner Nathan Lyon in ahead of his slogging pacemen but the move backfired when spinner Ravichandran Ashwin had him trapped in front for a duck.

Paceman Peter Siddle, who bowled Sachin Tendulkar for 73 in the last over before stumps to give Australia hope of restricting the tourists, picked up the prized wicket of VVS Laxman for two after he nicked an edge to wicketkeeper Brad Haddin.