Sachin Tendulkar completed an unbeaten half-century to help steady India's nerves after Australia knocked over their top-order on the opening day of the fourth and final Test at the Adelaide Oval on Thursday.
Tendulkar defied the Australian bowlers for two hours to reach tea on 55 with India 187 for four in their first innings after winning the toss and electing to bat first.
VVS Laxman was not out on 16 at tea, knowing he and Tendulkar will need a big partnership on a typically flat Adelaide pitch full of runs.
India were able to score at a brisk rate in the first two sessions but the loss of four wickets was a concern after they opted to go into the match with one less batsmen.
Australia fast bowler Mitchell Johnson dismissed Irfan Pathan and Rahul Dravid before lunch, Brett Lee removed Virender Sehwag and Brad Hogg got rid of Sourav Ganguly before tea.
Pathan was promoted to open the innings after Wasim Jaffer was dropped to make way for spinner Harbhajan Singh, but the strategy did not work.
Pathan was named man of the match in Perth after an impressive all-round performance but is regarded more as a seamer rather than a batsman, although he has scored a Test hundred.
He batted for more than half an hour and hit two fours but departed on nine when Johnson found the edge and wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist took a routine catch.
Dravid made 18 in a 48-run partnership with Sehwag before he also fell to a catch behind off Johnson, getting a thick edge to Ricky Ponting at second slip.
Sehwag, who returned to the Test arena for the first time in over a year in last week's third Test in Perth, struck six boundaries in a typically dashing innings.
He raced to his half-century off just 68 balls but fell early in the second session when he edged Lee to Matthew Hayden at first slip.
Ganguly made only seven when he was adjudged leg before wicket to spinner Hogg, leaving Tendulkar and Laxman to carry on.
Both men are playing possibly their last matches in Australia and are in great form after scoring hundreds in Sydney.
Tendulkar hit five fours and a six in his 55 while Laxman batted 45 minutes for his 16.
India beat Australia on their last visit to Adelaide four seasons ago and can square the series if they win again this time having lost in Melbourne and Sydney and won in Perth.
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