Australia have responded from two embarrassing defeats to take complete control of the third Test against India on a spinning day-one pitch in Indore.
The tourists went to tea at 1-71 to trail by just 38 after their spinners ripped through India in chaotic fashion at Holkar Stadium on Wednesday.
Left-armer Matt Kuhnemann, playing in his second Test, starred with 5-16 as India crumbled for 109 - their fourth lowest total at home against Australia.
Australia's trio of spinners - Kuhnemann, Nathan Lyon and Todd Murphy - took nine wickets before India's innings ended 30 minutes into the second session when Mohammed Siraj was run out.
Opener Usman Khawaja (33no) and Marnus Labuschange (16no) guided Australia to tea after the early loss of Travis Head (nine).
Labuschagne was given a life when he was bowled by Ravi Jadeja, but the star Indian spinner had overstepped for the third time this series when he had taken a wicket and the world's No.1 ranked Test batter was allowed to stay at the crease.
India's parochial home crowd has been silenced, with the hosts, up 2-0 in the series, already burning two out of their three reviews.
After captain Rohit Sharma won the toss and elected to bat, India stumbled to lunch at 7-84 as Kuhnemann and Lyon (3-35) stunned the hosts.
India lost 5-18 in a collapse similar to the trouble Australia found themselves in during the first two Tests.
The hosts briefly steadied through Virat Kohli (22) but young spin sensation Todd Murphy (1-23) claimed the Indian superstar's wicket for the third time this series with 20 minutes remaining in the session.
Bowling allrounders Axar Patel (12 no) and Ravichandran Ashwin (three) rescued India out of immense trouble during the second Test in Delhi but there was no repeat of their heroics this time.
It was drama in Indore from the start, with Sharma nicking Mitchell Starc to wicketkeeper Alex Carey off the first ball of the match.
However, umpire Nitin Menon gave Sharma not out and Australia failed to review the decision.
Starc trapped Sharma in front on the fourth ball of his first over with replays revealing the India opener would have been out had Australia used DRS.
But Sharma only scored 14 as he was stumped by Carey while trying to smash a Kuhnemann delivery.
The most extraordinary wicket of the day was Lyon's first, getting a ball to turn and keep low to smash into Cheteshwar Pujara's stumps.
Starc and allrounder Cameron Green opened the bowling after returning for their first match since suffering respective finger injuries during the Boxing Day Test win against South Africa.
Starc replaced Pat Cummins as Australia's frontline quick after the captain made the decision to return to Sydney to be with his seriously-ill mother.
Steve Smith is filling in as skipper for the third time since Cummins became Australia's red-ball leader in November 2021.
Green is playing his first Test on Indian soil, replacing Matt Renshaw, who was subbed in for a concussed David Warner during the last match in Delhi.
Whoever wins in Indore will secure their spot in the World Test Championship final at The Oval in June.
© AAP 2023