MELBOURNE • India captain Virat Kohli believes the world's top batsmen will have reason to fear Jasprit Bumrah, after the "outstanding" paceman put Australia to the sword yesterday in the third Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG).

The 25-year-old, named Man of the Match after India's 137-run win, dismissed Pat Cummins (63) to pick up one of the last two wickets required to finish with career-best figures of 9-86.

It was the biggest Test haul by an Indian Down Under, and Bumrah now leads the series with 20 victims, three more than Australia spinner Nathan Lyon, heading into the fourth and final Test in Sydney on Thursday.

The visitors are aiming to secure India's first series win in Australia.

Having made his Test debut against South Africa in Cape Town only in January, Bumrah will finish a stellar year with 48 wickets from nine Tests at an average of 21.02.

His skipper hailed his ability to conjure wickets on any surface, labelling Bumrah as a man that was "obsessed" with the sport.

The 30-year-old told reporters after his team took a 2-1 lead in the series: "The way that he is bowling so soon, so quickly in his Test career, is a very scary sign for all the batsmen around the world."

India declared twice at the MCG to set Australia a daunting victory target of 399, and the bowlers skittled Tim Paine's side for 151 and 261 in a total team performance.

The only other time India won two Tests in Australia was in 1977-78, when the hosts were weakened by the World Series Cricket breakaway, and Kohli is convinced his side can break new ground in Sydney.

"You have to give everything that you have to win a series away from home," said the batsman, who has now won 11 Tests abroad, equalling the national record of former skipper Sourav Ganguly.

REUTERS