Lyon the mane man as Australia fires up Delhi: Carted around at Chennai and then dumped, Nathan Lyon's immediate future as Australia's No.1 spin bowler was up in the air. It should be in absolutely no dispute now. By tearing through the Indian top order in the fourth Test on Saturday, the 25-year-old has given Australia a spring in their step that has been sorely missing for most of their five weeks on the subcontinent. Lyon claimed 5-94 in an inspiring spell, including the prized scalp of Sachin Tendulkar for the second time in this series and the third time in total. Shane Warne was only able to master the Little Master on three occasions, too, throughout his celebrated career. India, cruising at 0-108, finished the second day at 8-266, with Lyon breathing new life into Australia's hopes of coming away from this disastrous tour with at least something to remember fondly. The afternoon session was as lively as any in the whole series. Australia, unloading their frustration of the past month, chirped and goaded like they had not since landing here. Peter Siddle huffed and puffed in the ear of the debutant batsman Ajinkya Rahane, James Pattinson gave lip from the field and David Warner's mouthing off even prompted Ravindra Jadeja to dob him in to the umpires. Australia's fieldsmen circled around the bat with venom, and Siddle left batsmen ducking and weaving in self-preservation. Shane Watson, called in to settle the tension when Warner gave his two cents after tea, exchanged a smile with his counterpart MS Dhoni, but deep down he will hardly have been upset to see his players pipe up. For good or bad, it was in some ways a throwback to Ricky Ponting's era. Or maybe it had just been so long since Australia were competitive. The bowlers had saved Australia's bacon with the bat - propelling them from 7-136 to 262 - and they again took on India head on. Lyon was the primary destroyer, producing his finest display since his debut in Galle in September 2011, when he took 5-34 and dismissed Kumar Sangakkara with his first ball. He had technical issues and was down on confidence, said the head coach Mickey Arthur, as Australia opted for the half-baked duo of Xavier Doherty and Glenn Maxwell and cast Lyon out two Tests back in Hyderabad. He did not agree and made another statement at the Feroz Shah Kotla Stadium on Saturday. Lyon is not the world's finest exponent of off-spin but what he reinforced here is that he is clearly the best Australia have. "No, I haven't changed a thing since I arrived in India," he said. I learned a lot about these conditions. I spoke to Shane Watson about getting in the contest and having that body language up and that paid off for me today. That's something I can work on down the track. The selectors picked what side they think is going to do the job for Australia. Unfortunately I missed out in Hyderabad but I worked hard in the nets and I was happy to bowl quite well out there. India were coasting along until Lyon's introduction in the 20th over. In hindsight it could be argued that Watson, in his first day in the field as Australian captain, should have brought him on earlier. It was a case of better later than never when he did come on, with almost immediate effect. He removed Cheteshwar Pujara (52) and Virat Kohli (1) in quick succession, and should have had Tendulkar on one as well but for a leg-before shout dubiously turned down by Richard Kettleborough. Lyon eventually added Tendulkar to his innings tally, trapping the 39-year-old in front on 32 and convincing the umpire this time, before having a nervous Rahane caught by Steve Smith at leg slip. Had Smith been able to pouch another chance there soon after Lyon's fifth would have been revenge against Dhoni, the man who took him apart in the first Test in Chennai. He was not complaining, though, after completing the five-wicket haul with the exit of Ravi Ashwin, leg-before, at the death. He is now Australia's highest wicket-taker of the series, with 11, despite missing a match. All but two were those of recognised batsmen. Siddle and Pattinson chimed in with deserved wickets of their own, of Murali Vijay (57) and Dhoni (24) respectively before Glenn Maxwell, brought on late after battling gastro, scored one of his own with his second ball. Near stumps Watson was bizarrely handed the umpire's walkie-talkie by Aleem Dar and put it to his ear. Was it Michael Clarke, chiming in from the airport in Singapore? "The match referee said...he's got a first-class ticket booked home, seeing we've got a slow over rate," Lyon said. Just a bit of banter between the match official and Shane. That learning curve aside it was a day that Watson, calling the shots, will take. The crash course in Test captaincy appeared to be going off the rails earlier on but Australia are back in the fight.