Kohli holds firm against Aussies as India chase record total to win World Test Championship

Virat Kohli defied Australia on Saturday to give India hope of an extraordinary win in the World Test Championship final at The Oval.

India were 164-3 at stumps, still needing a further 280 runs to reach what would be a record-breaking total of 444 on Sunday's scheduled fifth and final day.

Star batsman Kohli, however, was 44 not out, while Ajinkya Rahane was unbeaten on 20 after he had already marked his first Test in over a year by top-scoring with 89 in India's first-innings 296.

SCOREBOARD | World Test Championship final: Australia v India

The scale of India's task was emphasised by the fact that only four teams in 146 years of Test cricket have made more than 400 to win in the fourth innings, with the West Indies' 418-7 against Australia at St John's in 2003 the highest such total.

Australia, by contrast, require just seven more wickets Sunday to win the only major global men's trophy to have so far eluded them and ensure they head into next week's Ashes opener against England at Edgbaston in buoyant mood.

India captain Rohit Sharma set the initial tone for a daunting chase with several boundaries, including a pulled six off left-arm quick Mitchell Starc.

But on the stroke of tea, opening partner Shubman Gill fell to a controversial catch when Cameron Green, who had taken an undisputed blinder in the first innings to remove Rahane, dived low to his left following an edge off Scott Boland.

The decision was referred by the on-field umpires to TV official Richard Kettleborough.

And with the 'soft signal' recently abolished, there was no on-field guidance for Kettleborough to follow in determining if the ball had brushed the turf after Green had grabbed hold.

"Kohli, Kohli, Kohli"

Kettleborough eventually ruled in Australia's