Australia will set India a record chase on the final day of a thrilling Boxing Day Test, but with a stellar last-wicket partnership still unbroken, it remains to be seen whether the hosts can bowl the tourists out.

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The Aussies led by 333 runs at stumps on Sunday, with Nathan Lyon (41*) and Scott Boland (10*) facing over 100 deliveries to ensure the eventual Indian chase will need to break the all-time MCG fourth innings record, of 332 runs by England in 1928.

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But allowing Lyon and Boland to continue their partnership, where they only really hit out aggressively in the final over of the day against Jasprit Bumrah – managing 14 off the superstar seamer – was both conservative by Australian captain Pat Cummins, and a risk.

Ensuring a record chase would be required gives the Aussies some safety, as they cannot win the Border-Gavaskar Trophy if they lose either this match or the New Year’s Test at the SCG. But it also reduces the time they have available to bowl out India and avoid a draw.

Given the success of Lyon and particularly Boland, who is a true No.11, on an MCG pitch that doesn’t appear to be deteriorating quickly the Aussies’ chances of bowling out their opponents appear more slim than usual.

Perhaps more importantly Australia gave up the chance to bowl at India for a short period in the final session – something India took advantage of in Perth, when they left the Aussies 3-12 in their second innings after a 4.2 over blitz late on day three.

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On day four in Melbourne, Marnus Labuschagne grit his teeth for a crucial 70 as he steadied Australia’s innings from 6-91 in the wake of a blistering three-wicket spell from Jasprit Bumrah.

He said Australia was in a strong position to win the match on Monday after watching every ball of Nathan Lyon and Scott Boland’s chaotic 55-run final wicket partnership.

“People say that Test cricket isn’t exciting … I’m a player, and I was watching and I was excited,” Labuschagne said.

There were calls for Labuschagne to be dropped after a horror first Test, but after consecutive half-centuries he said he had Konstas to thank for helping him find clarity in his batting at the MCG.

“That first innings, watching Sam (Konstas) bat and just the way he went about it, I was sitting there next to Steve (Smith) and I was saying, ‘we’ve really got to have a look at how we’re going about it, because this looks way more fun’,” he said.

“It probably just made me think about actually what’s my best method, rather than thinking about technical, or things that were just more tactical.

“How am I going to find a way through this, how am I going to find a way to score runs, what does that look like?

“It’s good to be scoring runs, and making contributions and helping Australia get into positions to win games.

“That’s a nice place to be, because I’ve missed out a few times in the last few weeks.”

Labuschagne’s rediscovered faith in his defence was on display as he chose to take every ball from Bumrah following the collapse of 3-5, turning down easy singles to keep Pat Cummins (41) from facing all bar one delivery from the Indian star.

“I’ll just take Bumrah and we can run on the other guys, but let’s just make sure that I’m at the nonstriker’s end at the end of each over (so) if Bumrah bowls, I can face as many overs as I can,” he said.

“Pat faced one ball in our partnership of him, and somehow scooted it through gully … Pat was amazing, he took the game on, he knows his scoring areas.

“We talked a little about that Edgbaston innings (to win the 2023 first Ashes Test) as well up in the changing room. He just finds a way when the team needs it to scrap and get big contributions to the match.”

Labuschagne said the ball was staying lower than in the early stages of the Test but said the Gabba wicket on which India chased down 329 in 2021 was significantly more flat.

“Ideally we would’ve liked to set India more in that game and probably bowl a few less overs, but because we had to win, we had to risk it a little bit more,” Labuschagne said when asked to compare the match situation to that Brisbane defeat.

“Their middle to lower order have been very good. We want to make sure we get enough runs, but I think we also need to back ourselves and trust that we’re going to bowl India out.”