Australia is confident it will not run out of time to get a result in the rain-affected third Test against India at the Gabba.

After day one was almost entirely washed out and seven separate rain delays broke up Monday’s play, more inclement weather is forecast for the final two days.

India went to an early stumps at 4-51 on day three after spending most of Monday struggling to survive in response to Australia’s first-innings 445.

“With two days to go I think there is still plenty of time for a result,” Australia all-rounder Mitch Marsh said.

“We’ll see how it goes over the next two days.

“When you get sent in and make 450, it’s always positive. You earn the right to attack early with the ball.

“Now it’s just about how do we try and take 20 wickets. We have six more to get, and we just assess from there.”

Australia is likely to consider enforcing the follow-on for just the second time in Pat Cummins’s time as Test captain.

Cummins has knocked back the opportunity to do so four times, and even indicated the follow-on was all but dead during a media conference in 2022.

The Brisbane Test looms as an obvious opportunity if Australia is to bowl India out for 245 or less.

Lengthy rain delays mean bowling workloads are naturally being managed with several breaks, while there is no time left for India to build a tricky last-innings target.

With next to no chance of losing the Test, Australia can continue to search for wickets, with three of the four on Monday coming from drawing an Indian batter’s edge.

“You’re comfortable being driven for boundaries to bring in those balls that are hitting the stumps,” Starc told ABC Sport.

“We look at some of the numbers from the Indian attack, and not many balls are hitting the stumps.

“I naturally bowl a fuller length than Josh and Pat but I think there’s a conscious effort here … to just pitch it up a bit more, bring in the drives, bring in the edge.”

AAP/ABC