Australia were buoyed by two quick wickets at the stroke of tea-break as a familiar batting collapse saw India reduced to 144 for six, on the opening day of the third cricket Test at the WACA.
Speedster Peter Siddle once again proved to be the wrecker-in-chief for Australia as he dismissed Virat Kohli (44) and VVS Laxman (31) in quick succession to peg India further back after the first session that had four top-order batsmen returning to pavilion.
Kohli blew away his hard work of quarter to two hours when his mistimed drive off a Siddle delivery was easily gobbled up by David Warner at point. Kohli was back in the hut after making an 81-ball-44 laced with six fours.
A little later, Laxman his partner in the 68-run fifth wicket stand, had edged Siddle for rival captain Michael Clarke to accept an easy chance in the first slip.
Laxman batted for 134 minutes and hit five fours from 86 balls and had only begun to bat with his customary flair when his dismissal tightened the noose on the Indians.
Skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni (4 batting) and debutant Vinay Kumar (5 batting) were left to carry the fight on resumption after tea.
It had looked India's session as the two batsmen, fighting for their places in the side, stonewalled for close to two hours.
Kohli was off-the-blocks early, flicking Ryan Harris for boundary to bring India on the doorstep of their first hundred of the innings.
Laxman, virtually runless in the first hour, had a lucky break on 9 when he played Peter Siddle uppishly to gully where Mike Hussey caught it on the half-volley.