Cameron White and Ricky Ponting hit half-centuries but India struck back to restrict Australia to a modest total in the fourth one-day international in Mohali.

Australia's top-order batsmen all managed useful runs - with Ponting leading the way with a chanceless 52, his third half-century in the series, and White contributing a steady 62 - but Ashish Nehra claimed three wickets and four batsmen were run out as India bowled the visitors out for 250 on a good batting surface.

Mahendra Singh Dhoni had invited Australia to bat first and India's new-ball bowlers, Praveen Kumar and Nehra, kept Australia's openers on a tight leash with a testing line.

Shaun Marsh, who was dropped for the previous game in Delhi, returned to partner Shane Watson (49) at the top of the order but the Kings XI Punjab player failed to impress on the home ground of his Indian Premier League team.

Marsh was trapped right in front by Nehra, a dismissal that brought Ponting to the crease early, and the Australia captain was immediately on the front foot, pulling Nehra for a boundary off the first ball he faced.

Watson was only a run away from a half-century when he was snared by Harbhajan Singh, the off-spinner striking with his very first delivery to sever a burgeoning second-wicket stand.

Ponting, who smashed Ishant Sharma for a six and a four off the bowler's first over, raised his 73rd half-century with a boundary off Harbhajan but his innings ended when he was run out almost immediately after.

Ponting had turned Harbhajan on the on side and attempted a second run when Ravindra Jadeja, running in from deep square leg, ended his stay with a direct hit.

Australia were 123 for three at that stage and White and Michael Hussey (40) rebuilt with a 73-run stand for the fourth wicket, but India's spinners hit back with Yuvraj Singh sending back Hussey and Harbhajan claiming his replacement, Moises Henriques.

White, who reached his fourth ODI half-century with a single off Harbhajan, was then run out and Australia thereafter lost their way before Nehra returned to claim two more wickets as Australia were bowled out.