Australia got their first chance in Sydney in the World Test Championship to decide the fifth Test against India.
India dropped skipper Rohit Sharma but their batting woes continued as they were dismissed for 185 on the opening day of the crucial fifth and final Test against Australia in Sydney.
Scott Boland led the way with four for 31 on Friday as Australia's bowlers thrived in good conditions to stop India's scoring and fell wickets at regular intervals to the delight of a sell-out crowd of 48,000.
The mere doubt of Jasprit Bumrah, the legendary bowler and Rohit's successor as captain, dampened the excitement of the home fans who thronged the iconic old stadium.
He got a clue from the last ball of the three overs that India managed to bowl before the match when Bumrah removed Usman Khawaja for two.
Youngster Sam Konstas, who clashed briefly with Bumrah Khawaja before his departure, resumed his seven-match unbeaten streak with Australia nine for one.
Australia leads the series 2-1 and will not only seal the Border-Gavaskar Trophy but also the final place in the World Test Championship against South Africa with a win in the final.
“I thought the bowlers were very good. To get them out under 200 was a great day,” said Australia all-rounder Beau Webster, who admitted it may not have been his best. “I'm not sure what the best goal is at the moment, until both teams win,” he added.
Boland spearheaded the end of India's innings early in the last over when he had Rishabh Pant caught in the mid-40s and dismissed Melbourne skipper Nitish Kumar Reddy off successive balls.
Washington Sundar was bowled by Boland's hat-trick without contact but Ravindra Jadeja was soon caught in front by Mitchell Starc (3-49) for 26 to leave India reeling at 134-7.
Sundar was unlucky off 14 when television viewers caught a brush of his glove on the arrival of Pat Cummins, as Bumrah wobbled the tail with 22 runs from 17 balls before the Australian skipper caught him at mid-wicket to end the innings.
Pant said he would have been happy with another 40 or 50 runs but felt that India's score was not far from the trick wickets. “It's still very competitive, because of the way football is going now,” he told reporters. “There is a lot of support for the bowler, and we believe we can do well.”
India still retained the Border-Gavaskar Trophy with the win, but looked to be on the back foot ever since Bumrah won the toss and sent his team into bat.
Cummins said he could have done the same but the fast bowler still licked his lips on the green wicket – with a commanding atmosphere over Sydney's eastern suburbs.
The visitors had 11 runs on the board when Rahul departed for four and just six more when Jaiswal, who was 10, was caught in the pockets of Boland.
Boland thought he had got Virat Kohli out for a golden duck in the next over but the roar of the crowd turned to boos when he was ruled that the ball had kissed the grass as Steve Smith flicked it to Marnus Labuschagne.
Cummins threw the ball to Nathan Lyon for the last over before lunch and the spinner removed Shubman Gill, Rohit's replacement, for 20 with the edge of the slip rope.
Kohli scored 17 runs from 69 balls as he became Boland's second victim with a jab outside off while Webster collected and bowled well in the slips.
Bumrah also said that Rohit's absence from the team is the decision of the 37-year-old.
