Jason Krejza’s eight wicket-haul on debut and some solid Australian batting helped bring some balance in the fourth Test.

Spinner Jason Krejza became only the sixth bowler in history to scalp eight wickets on debut to plot India's dramatic late order collapse as Australia restored the balance in the the series-deciding cricket Test with a solid batting display here today.

The 25-year-old off-spinner, ignored by the tourists for the first three Tests in the series in which they trail 0-1, changed the complexion of the game after the lunch break to snap up five wickets in the space of 26 balls and finish with with figures of eight for 215.

The Indians, who were cruising along comfortably at 404 for five at lunch, were polished off for 441 in their first innings to squander the advantage to some extent on a track which has started providing some turn to the spinners.

The Australians then batted with a great deal of determination and application to reach 189 for two at close on an engrossing second day's play, riding on Simon Katich's sparkling unbeaten 92.

Simon Katich and Michael Hussey (batting 45) played sensibly to prevent the Indians from making further inroads in the last session as they remained unseparated at the draw of stumps with the visitors still trailing by 252 runs. Matthew Hayden (16) and Ricky Ponting (24) were the two batsmen dismissed.

It was the unheralded Krejza who did the star turn for the Aussies as he removed India skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni (56), Sourav Ganguly (85), Zaheer Khan (1), Amit Mishra (0) and last man Ishant Sharma (0) in a dream spell which helped his team roar back into the game.

Krejza was also on a hat-trick during his mesmerising post-lunch spell of 5.5-0-20-5 after sending back Zaheer and Mishra off successive balls before Sharma prevented him from achieving an even more memorable feat. Krejza, who belongs to New South Wales but plays for Tasmania, thus became only the sixth bowler in history to take eight wickets in his first Test innings.

The others in the list are his compatriots Albert Trott (8 for 43 v England at Adelaide in 1895) and Bob Massie (8 for 53 v England at Lord's in 1972), West Indian Alf Valentine (v England at Manchester in 1950), India's Narendra Hirwani (8 for 75 at Chennai in 1988) and South Africa's Lance Klusener (8 for 64 v India at Kolkata in 1996).

Resuming at the overnight score of 311 for five, Ganguly and Dhoni started in a steady manner with singles and twos and then got a bit more aggressive especially against Krejza.

The first session of play produced 93 runs in 26 overs without India losing a wicket.

The left-handed stalwart from Kolkata, who struck his first four of the morning in the ninth over with a square cut off left-arm pacer Mitchell Johnson, stepped out and on-drove Krejza for a six while Dhoni used the sweep, both conventional and reverse, to good effect against the slow bowler.

Ganguly was sure in his footwork and looked at ease against pace and spin in his final Test appearance for the country.

Both the batsmen looking in absolute control against both pace and spin after Dhoni had survived an appeal for a caught and bowled chance off Krejza off the first ball he faced in the morning.

Dhoni tried to drive the off-break bowler, but the ball ricocheted off the boot and ground for Krejza to dive to left and catch it. After consulting with his colleague Billy Bowden at square leg, umpire Aleem Dar turned down the Aussie appeal. Ganguly drove Krejza for a couple to mid off to notch up his half century and continue his superb run in the series which has seen him score 47, 26 not out (Bangalore), 102, 27 (Mohali), 5 and 32 not out (Delhi) prior to the series decider.

The complexion of the game changed after the lunch break as the hosts suffered a dramatic collapse triggered by Krejza to lose their last five wickets in a jiffy.

India, who were 404 for five at lunch with Ganguly and Dhoni looking well set, lost their remaining wickets in 58 minutes before striking one blow by sending back danger man Matthew Hayden (16) who was run-out by a smart pick-up and throw by the home team's debutant Murali Vijay from mid off.

India's big hope on the turning wicket, Harbhajan Singh opened the bowling with Zaheer Khan to try and exploit the roughs that were taken advantage of by Krejza.

Dhoni played a poor shot when he moved to the off and opened his leg stump while trying to play Krezja to the leg. He missed and lost his leg stump and his dismissal brought an end to the 119-run sixth wicket stand with Ganguly.

Two balls later, the Aussie offie spun the ball across the face of Ganguly's bat and had him caught low down to his left by Michael Clarke and India were 423 for seven in the fourth over after lunch. In all Ganguly played for 221 minutes, faced 153 balls and struck eight fours and a six.

Krejza, with his tails up despite Harbhajan (18 not out with four fours) using the long handle, then sent back Zaheer and Mishra in successive balls before he was denied the hat-trick by Sharma. Not to be denied another wicket, Krejza promptly got the lanky fast bowler caught at short leg to terminate the Indian innings.

The Australian innings began on a disastrous note with Hayden being run out off a direct hit from debutant Murali Vijay.

Harbhajan then accounted for Ricky Ponting for the tenth time in his career to raise hopes of a few more quick wickets but that did not materialise with Katich and Hussey steering the visitors to a comfortable position with a century partnership for the third wicket.