Nathan Lyon claimed the key wicket of Virat Kohli to turn the second Test in Australia's favour, with India finishing the fourth day on 112-5 after being set 287 in Perth.

The home side suffered a batting collapse in their second innings, slipping from 192-4 to 243 all out as Mohammed Shami claimed Test-best figures of 6-56, yet still look favourites to clinch a series-levelling victory.

India stuttered early in their pursuit of an attainable target, slipping to 13-2 before tea. Mitchell Starc tempted KL Rahul to chop on to depart for a duck, while Cheteshwar Pujara fended a rising delivery from Josh Hazlewood through to wicketkeeper Tim Paine.

However, it was Lyon who struck perhaps the most telling blow in what has been a see-saw contest, getting Kohli caught at slip by Usman Khawaja, who had earlier made 72 with the bat, for 17.

The off-spinner also dismissed Murali Vijay - the opener bowled through the gate on 20 - before Ajinkya Rahane (30) fell to Hazlewood prior to the close, slicing an ambitious drive to Travis Head at point.

Hanuma Vihari battled through to reach stumps unbeaten on 24 alongside Rishabh Pant (9 not out), but India still require a further 175.

Australia will be confident of picking up the five wickets they require during Tuesday's play, though they made their task tougher than it needed to be by losing a clatter of wickets after lunch.

When Khawaja had Paine for company out in the middle, the hosts appeared on course to set their opponents a sizeable fourth-innings target. Instead, they folded quickly once the fifth-wicket alliance ended with Paine (37) undone by a vicious short ball from Shami.

The home captain had again exchanged words with opposite number Kohli during his time in the middle, with umpire Chris Gaffaney heard on the stump microphone telling both players to keep their cool in the heat of battle.

Aaron Finch's return to the crease - the opening batsman had retired hurt when on 25 the previous day - did not last long as he gloved Shami's next ball through to wicketkeeper Pant, with the same bowler-fielder combination also accounting for Khawaja six runs later.

Shami dismissed Lyon too to get his first six-wicket haul in the format, but Australia's last-wicket pairing of Starc and Hazlewood added 36 valuable runs, the former last out for 14 to leave the latter unbeaten on 17.