CRICKET:India opened up a slender eight-run lead over Australia at stumps on day four of the fourth Test in Adelaide but their hopes of squaring the four-match series are remote heading into the final day.

Australia, led by centurions Ricky Ponting and Michael Clarke, passed India's first-innings total of 526 shortly after tea but the tail wagged for just 37 more runs before the tourists removed the hosts for 563.

India made a stuttering start to their second innings with opener Irfan Pathan falling for a six-ball duck after being trapped lbw by Mitchell Johnson.

Virender Sehwag's unbeaten 31 and Rahul Dravid's 11 not out moved the tourists to 45 for one heading into the fifth day.

However, both teams' mammoth first-innings totals leave the match on course for a draw that would end India's hopes of levelling the series, which Australia lead 2-1. Resuming on 322 for three - a total aided by Matthew Hayden's 30th Test century on Saturday - Ponting and Clarke dug in during the morning session to frustrate the Indian attack and take the score beyond 400.

Having seen skipper Ponting record his 34th Test century in the morning, Clarke followed suit in the afternoon, picking up his third Test hundred with a single off Sehwag.

But their 210 run-partnership finally came to an end three balls later with the score on 451 when Ponting attempted to dab a Sehwag delivery behind point but played it on to his stumps with an inside edge as he was dismissed for 140.

Clarke and Andrew Symonds added 39 more runs in 11 overs before Clarke went for 118 after edging an Ishant Sharma delivery to VVS Laxman at second slip.

The retiring Adam Gilchrist came out to a standing ovation and hit a swift 14 from 18 balls before driving a Pathan delivery straight to Sehwag, who took a straightforward catch at cover.

Australia passed the Indian total three overs after tea but then lost two quick wickets with Symonds going for 30 after playing a Sharma delivery on to his stumps and Brett Lee following for one, edging a catch to MS Dhoni to give Pathan his 100th Test wicket.

Brad Hogg and Johnson took the Australian total to 557 with a 29-run partnership before Johnson lofted a Harbhajan Singh delivery to long-on where Sharma slid in to take the catch.

Sehwag then bowled Stuart Clark for three to end the Australian innings at 563, with Hogg unbeaten on 16.

India's second-innings response suffered a setback in only the second over when Johnson's good length delivery outside off-stump hit Pathan's front pad and umpire Asad Rauf sent the opener back to the pavilion.

However, Sehwag's sprightly 31, which included two fours and one six, will give the Indians hope heading into the final day.

Former Australia opener Justin Langer hailed Adam Gilchrist as the "all-round package" after the wicketkeeper announced his impending retirement from the game on Saturday.

Gilchrist will quit all forms of cricket at the end of the upcoming one-day series with India and Sri Lanka, while the current Test against India in Adelaide will be his last in the five-day arena.

"He was a leader, he captained Australia and he was an aggressive six-hitting batsman that averaged almost 50 in Test cricket," said Langer, who teamed with Gilchrist for a famous 238-run partnership against Pakistan in 1999 that led to an improbable Test win.

"He was the all-round package, he is the all-round package and it's going to be sad to see him leave," added Langer. AUSTRALIA - First innings

P Jaques b Kumble 60

M Hayden b I Sharma 103

R Ponting b Sehwag 140

M K Hussey b Pathan 22

M Clarke c Laxman b I Sharma 118

A Symonds b I Sharma 30

A Gilchrist c Sehwag b Pathan 14

G Hogg not out 16

B Lee c Dhoni b Pathan 1

M Johnson c I Sharma b Harbhajan Singh 13

S Clark b Sehwag 3

Extras (b10, lb12, w10, nb11) 43

Total (181 overs) 563

Fall of wickets: 1-159, 2-186, 3-241, 4-451, 5-490, 6-506, 7-527, 8-528, 9-557.

Bowling: R Singh 4-0-14-0, Pathan 36-2-112-3, I Sharma 40-6-115-3, Harbhajan Singh 48-5-128-1, Kumble 30-4-109-1, Sehwag 19-2-51-2, Tendulkar 1 0 6 0 Ganguly 3 1 6 0.

INDIA - Second innings

V Sehwag not out 31

I Pathan lbw b Johnson 0

R Dravid not out 11

Extras (lb1, w1, nb1) 3

Total 1 wkt (17 overs) 45

Fall of wickets: 1-2.

To bat: S Tendulkar, S Ganguly, V Laxman, M Dhoni, A Kumble, H Singh, R Singh, I Sharma.

Bowling: Lee 6-1-8-0, Johnson 5-0-6-1, Symonds 3-0-20-0, Clark 3-1-10-0.