Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has insisted his team-mates are disappointed to find themselves on the verge of a 4-0 whitewash against Australia, but refused to single out any blame to individual players.

After being reduced to 166 for six at stumps on day four of the fourth Test, India's hopes of chasing down the 500-run target look improbable.

"We are extremely disappointed, but there is no need for embarrassment," Ashwin said after Friday's action.

"It's a sport and at the end of the day we have all competed hard on the ground - it's not like we have just chucked it away, we've given it everything we've had."

Having surrendered the Border-Gavaskar Trophy when they lost the series, the 25-year-old admitted the team need to make some big improvements if they are to better their dismal away record.

"A team that wants to count themselves to be on top of the world has to really perform all over the place, so there are no excuses for this," he said.

"Whatever we've tried to put forward hasn't gone our way. It's been quite disappointing.

"You can't re-write the script can you. I really feel very awkward to keep giving excuses."

Despite his admission that the Indian team have failed, Ashwin refused to lay any blame on individual players, with some of the senior batsmen struggling on the tour.

"It's a team game and I've never, ever insisted (otherwise)," he said.

"Even when I talk to the little kid on the street, I've always insisted it's a team game and should be taught that way."

"If we have failed, we have failed as a unit.

"If the batsmen haven't got runs, they've not given enough time for the bowlers and if the bowlers haven't got the wickets quickly, they've not given enough time for the batsmen back in the dressing room.

"We've tried our best and it's not gone our way. We've not seized the initiatives and we've not had enough reserves in the bank.

"We have failed as a unit."