They made hard work of the run chase, but Australia defeated India by four wickets in the Brisbane Test after a wrecking-ball performance by Mitchell Johnson caused the touring side to implode.

Fittingly, Johnson was at the crease when the winning runs were scored (by another Mitch, the hamstrung all-rounder Marsh sending a cover drive to the boundary) to extend Australia's series lead to two-nil with two Tests to play.

While Australia cannot lose the series, they need to win it outright to regain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

Having made 88 in the partnership with victorious captain Steve Smith that twisted the Test in Australia's favour on day three, Johnson ensured it would finish on day four with a vintage spell of menacing fast bowling on Saturday morning.

He took 3-10 in 11 balls to leave the Indian team in disarray.

The tourists had control of the Test after day one but allowed their advantage to slip, first by being bowled out for 408 and then by conceding a 148-run stand to Smith and Johnson.

Then on Saturday they folded for 224 in their second innings after losing six wickets in a session of Mitch mayhem.

"Today's first session was crucial and we didn't handle it well," said India captain M.S. Dhoni, whose side has now lost five overseas Tests in a row in England and Australia.

It was only a feisty 81 by opener Shikhar Dhawan, nursing an injured wrist, that enabled the tourists to set Australia a modest target of 128 for victory.

Australia slumped to 2-25 after losing David Warner for six and Shane Watson for a duck, but Chris Rogers posted his second half-century for the match before he was caught in the slips.

Smith, man of the match for his first-innings century, was dropped on nine, then run out for 28.

Brad Haddin holed out for one, leaving the Mitches to see Australia home.

Warner was struck a nasty blow to the thumb by fast bowler Umesh Yadav before his dismissal, but Australian medical staff said they did not believe he had a broken bone.

While the Australian run chase was less than convincing, Johnson's 4-61 showed he was back to his best.

"He certainly turned it on today for that little spell, it really cracked the game open for us," said Smith, who at 6-247 on day three could easily have been staring at Australia's first Gabba defeat in 26 years. "It wasn't a great position to be in, but I don't think those thoughts ever run through your head.

"It was just amazing the way Mitch came out and took the bowlers on from ball one. That was a big turning point in the game, to get that partnership with Mitch and just the whole tail – to get 500 runs in the first innings was crucial for us."

India caved in. Dhawan did not resume his innings at the start of play, leaving the dressing room in a mood of unrest about the quality of the  practice wickets and Virat Kohli just a few minutes' notice that he would be accompanying Cheteshwar Pujara to the crease.

Kohli did not last long, chopping on a ball from Johnson for one.

In Johnson's next over, Ajinkya Rahane was caught at backward point and Rohit Sharma was caught behind after wafting away from his body.

When Josh Hazlewood had  Dhoni lbw for a second-ball duck, the Indian innings was in ruins at 5-87.

Ravi Ashwin fell to a dubious caught-behind decision – the ball seemed to clip his pad rather than his bat – and Dhawan rejoined Pujara at the crease.

But the latter fended a catch to gully from a steepling ball from Hazlewood for 43.

Dhoni was at least satisfied his bowlers did not throw in the towel during Australia's run chase, but it remains to be seen whether his team can avoid the four-nil fate of the last Indian team to tour here.

"The exciting part is we have competed," he said. "Last time we were not really able to compete.

"When it's going to the last hour of the last day, it means it can turn at any time. It can be one good spell or an extraordinary run out or having a bit of luck.

"The competition has been good although the results have not been in our favour."