Adelaide, Jan 24 (IANS) Despite being pushed on the backfoot with centuries from Michael Clarke and Ricky Ponting, off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin insists that India have nothing to lose against Australia in the fourth and the final Test against Australia that got under way here Tuesday.

“I think we have nothing to lose at this point in time. Being three-nil down gives us a bit of a license to go out and play our natural game, which could be a real blessing in disguise for us and all that’s important is to (each) get those first 20-30 runs and stick it out. We’ll have to look for those initial starts and try to capitalise and that could be the crucial part of this game,” said Ashwin after the first day’s play at the Adelaide Oval.

Despite losing the toss, India held the upper hand in the first session to leave Australia at 98 for three at lunch. But Ponting and Clarke scored rapidly as 237 runs came in the last two sessions and Australia finished the day at 335 for three.

Ashwin, who picked up two wickets, said Indian bowlers do not have a mental block in bowling to Clarke and Ponting.

“I don’t think there is any psychological block towards that, but we were definitely telling and egging each other on, especially in the second session of play,” said Ashwin.

Ashwin said that Indians erred in the second session of the day.

“We had to be really tight in that particular phase after lunch where it was quite crucial and that’s where we gave a few easy runs to both of them and they just took off from there. After that it was quite easy to carry the momentum on. It’s happened in two Tests now in Sydney and now in Adelaide, and we’ll look to get a couple of wickets tomorrow,” he said.