Australia owes India a miracle or two.

After four days of punch and counter-punch, parry and thrust, ebb and flow, the greatest rivals in modern cricket have set the scene for another spine-tingling climax when the second Test concludes at Chepauk Stadium.

The gods smiled on India at Calcutta and Chennai in 2001.

It could be Australia's turn, with Shane Warne set for the match of his life by bowling his side to an improbable victory just three days after claiming the world record in a country that has treated him so harshly in the past.

It could be another tie.

It could be another loss.

Anything seems possible between these irrepressible sides as India resumes on 0-19 chasing 229 to level the series. Facing what should have been a nervous three overs before stumps, first innings century-maker Virender Sehwag spanked three ominous boundaries off Glenn McGrath.

The tourists were dead men walking at the start of day four when an out of sorts Damien Martyn and nightwatchman Jason Gillespie resumed Australia's second innings on 4-150, a meaningless nine runs ahead with not many recognised batsmen left.

By stumps, Martyn (104) was in the touch of his life, Gillespie (26) had batted gallantly for four hours, and Michael Clarke (39 not out) and Darren Lehmann (31) had pushed Australia to a competitive position.

Martyn and Gillespie's 239-minute defiance produced 139 runs, every one of them worth their weight in gold on a pitch that is producing variable bounce. And the pressure of chasing runs cannot be underestimated. Australia fancies its chances.

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