CHENNAI : Sachin Tendulkar led the hosts' fightback after some inspired fast bowling from Australian paceman James Pattinson, leaving the first Test evenly poised after the second day.
India’s Sachin Tendulkar
Australia resumed at 316-7 with Michael Clarke, unbeaten after scoring a century on the opening day, and Peter Siddle at the crease.
The pair managed to frustrate the Indian bowling attack and a total of 400-plus looked likely until Clarke was out for 130, caught at long off after trying to smash Ravindra Jadeja down the ground, leaving Australia 361-8.
The tail offered little resistance after Clarke's dismissal _ Siddle fell to Harbhajan Singh shortly after, before Ravichandran Ashwin drew a fine edge to have Nathan Lyon caught at fine leg to wrap up the innings and claim career-best figures of 7-103.
India made a disastrous start to their innings, slumping to 12-2 after Pattinson bowled both openers, Murali Vijay and then Virender Sehwag, with express deliveries.
Clarke, though, appeared reluctant to use Pattinson for longer than short bursts.
As a result, India were allowed to rebuild with Tendulkar and Cheteshwar Pujara steering the hosts through to tea with the score at 84-2.
When Pattinson returned to the attack after the break, though, he struck again, bowling Pujara with a low off-cutter for 44, reducing India to 105-3 and swinging the momentum back Australia's way.
The rest of the attack could not match Pattinson's effectiveness, though, and India coasted through to stumps without further loss.
When play resumes today, India will be 182-3, still 198 runs behind Australia on first innings, with Tendulkar on 71, chasing his first Test century in more than two years, and Virat Kohli on 50.