Ashwin, Shami leave Australia staring at loss
track only to hole out to sweeper cover, falling to Ashwin for the second time in the game.
Peter Handscomb played close to his body and put a high price on his wicket like he had done in his first innings, but the extra pace and bounce of Shami had him skying a catch to short midwicket, leaving Australia at 84 for four.
Shaun Marsh (31 not out) and Travis Head (11 not out), Australia's first-innings hero in this game, ushered the side to stumps without any further setbacks.
India had enjoyed an excellent morning, with their overnight batsmen Pujara and Rahane negotiating the first hour in fuss-free fashion.
Pujara moved to his second fifty-plus score of the game in the 66th over, when he late-cut Lyon to third man. At the other end, Rahane cracked Mitchell Starc through cover-point and then clattered Pat Cummins on the up through extra-cover.
Nathan Lyon, though, exhibited great control and set in motion a collapse.
After being denied thrice by DRS, he removed both Pujara and Rohit Sharma (1) in three overs before tea. Pant then announced himself with a devil-may-care hoick against Lyon's off-break over mid-on, and launched the second session of the day with four successive hoicked boundaries off Lyon.
The off-spinner, though, would not be cowed.
He dangled up his next ball wide of off - possibly wider than a set of stumps outside off - and had Pant carving a catch to sweeper cover for 28 off 16 balls.
He pressed onto bag his 13th five-wicket haul (6-122) - and sixth against India - but might have to do similarly good work with the bat if Australia are to pull off a final-day jailbreak.