The heat is on Australia's selection for the first Test after their only spinner Nathan Lyon struggled to contain a rampant Indian batting performance on day three in Chennai.
Australia's bowlers struggled on Sunday, taking just five wickets and conceding 333 runs in the process as India surged to 515-8 at stumps on day three, giving them a lead of 125 runs.
Lyon produced a beautiful delivery to bowl India's Sachin Tendulkar in the morning session but by day's end had figures of 3-182 off 40 overs with India captain MS Dhoni (206 not out) the main destroyer.
India batsman Virat Kohli said he was expecting the Aussies to include another spinner at the expense of a fast man.
"(We) were a bit surprised by that decision (to only play one spinner)," Kohli said.
"They had Xavier (Doherty) in the team as well... we really thought he was going to play this game and we were really surprised to see three seamers in their squad.
"We just decided to take advantage of that because knowing these conditions you can only have those quick bowling spells, those bursts, for like three or four overs, not more than that."
However Australian wicketkeeper Matthew Wade did not believe his side would have been better off with another front-line spinner and praised Lyon for his display, which included the wicket of Kohli.
"I think it's hard to say (if two spinners would have helped)," Wade said.
"Obviously (Dhoni) played really well so if we played two spinners he could have taken down the second spinner.
"Unfortunately that's bowling to good players in their conditions. He can take (a lot) out of that... he's learnt a lot and he can come back bigger and stronger in the next innings and win the game for us.
"If we can get a big enough lead, we need him to really spin the ball big and take a few wickets for us."
Kohli – who himself batted terrifically to score 107 – added 128 runs with Dhoni for the fifth wicket and sang the praises of MS Dhoni after his double century.
Once Kohli departed, Dhoni stepped into overdrive as his stunning 206 not out, which came from 243 deliveries and included 22 fours and five sixes, captivated fans and television audiences around the world.
"It was quite brilliant," Kohli said.
"If he bats like that you don't need to say much. It was a brilliant effort by him, especially after coming in from the fall of Sachin Tendulkar (at 196-4).
"We needed to capitalise at that point in time. We needed a big partnership and he strung in a good partnership with me and then carried on the way he did.
"When he is in flow, he can hit the ball a mile... we all saw that. He can totally take the game away from you. That was a great example of his ability to hit the ball cleanly... that was special to watch."
First Posted 25 February, 2013 9:16AM AEST
