The daunting history India must overcome

If India are to extend their 20-match unbeaten streak on home soil, they'll need statistically one of the great run chases in the fourth innings of the first Test in Pune to do it.

In a country where the pitches are notorious for breaking up dramatically as a match wears on, a total in excess of 290 has only been achieved once to win in the fourth innings from 258 Tests played since 1933.

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That was in 2008 against England in Chennai, when the hosts chased down a mammoth target of 387 thanks to legendary trio Virender Sehwag (83), Sachin Tendulkar (103no) and Yuvraj Singh (85no).  

In Pune, Australia's lead has already blown out to 298 with six wickets still in hand, and with 24 wickets having fallen across two days, a successful run chase would instantly become the stuff of legend if the home side was to pull it off.  

Going into day three, both sides find themselves in unfamiliar territory, with Australia's past nine matches in Asia all ending in defeat, while India's aforementioned unbeaten streak on home soil dates back to 2012.

But after a dramatic day two, it was India mentor Anil Kumble who was left to bemoan a "couple of soft dismissals" that led to Australia taking complete control of the contest.

Kumble's side crumbled in a collapse of 7-11, struggling to combat Steve O'Keefe's left-arm spin.

It was India's worst seven-wicket collapse in Test history, while a first-innings total of 105 was just one run higher than their lowest ever against Australia in India.

"We needed a lot more restraint," Kumble said. "If you put your head down, you could make those runs. It was unfortunate that once KL Rahul got out, we seemed to lose the bearing.

"It is a challenging surface which requires application, aggression and a bit of caution as well. You need a mix.

"It's a surface where you needed to adapt. We didn't adapt really well."

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The crumbling Pune dustbowl has attracted a lot of criticism in the past two days, but O'Keefe had no complaints.

"We've trained on similar wickets in Dubai. It's not a shock, it's exactly what we were expecting," O'Keefe said.

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"You're not going to come over here and see green lush wickets, you'll see dry and flat wickets ... you can still get runs on it.

"It's nice to see spinning conditions but in the same breath you know there's a big job to do."

Shane Warne, speaking on Star Sports prior to the toss on Thursday, forecast the prospect of the pitch hurting instead of helping the hosts.

"I've never seen a pitch as dry as this," Warne said.

"The toss is going to be crucial.

"We know India prepare those pitches that turn.

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"But if they take it too much, suddenly it becomes even for both sides. It's a bit of a lottery ... they might have just pushed this a bit too far."

The hosts also dropped four catches in Australia's second innings, including three missed chances from world No.1 batsman Steve Smith to compound their problems.

Smith remained unbeaten on 59 with the touring side leading by 298 runs. India, currently 298 in arrears, are staring at a steep fourth-innings target on a wicket providing prodigious turn for the spin bowlers.

Kumble was backing his side, who have won their last six series, to chase down any target.

"We would like to restrict them to as little as possible (on Saturday)," he said. "We dropped a few catches. It has hurt us in the past, especially in this game you need to hold your chances even if half chances."