Left-arm pace bowler Zaheer Khan claimed a five-wicket haul, but not before Michael Hussey had steered Australia to a position of strength on the second day of the first Test of the Border-Gavaskar series.
Zaheer picked up three quick wickets shortly after tea as Australia were bowled out for an impressive 430.
Hussey had brought up his ninth Test century with a rare inside-edged boundary, but was the last man out when he inside-edged a delivery fro
m Zaheer onto his stumps to depart for 146, his highest Test score against India.
Ishant Sharma had taken wickets periodically in the first two sessions of the day and finished with 4-77.
By the close, India's openers Gautam Gambhir and Virender Sehwag had reduced some of the advantage with an unbeaten 68-run stand for the opening wicket.
Sehwag was the aggressor reaching stumps on 43 while Gambhir was on 20 when a sharp shower ended play nine overs early.
Ishant claimed an early wicket in the morning session, dismissing Shane Watson in the second over of the day.
Hussey, who resumed from his overnight 46, looked untroubled as he struck vital partnerships with Brad Haddin and later Brett Lee to carry Australia past the 400-run mark.
Hussey and Haddin (33) had added 91 runs for the sixth wicket when the wicketkeeper-batsman was dismissed by Ishant just after lunch, scooping the ball to VVS Laxman at short cover.
Cameron White's first Test innings, of two, was brief, but Hussey then put on 59 with Brett Lee (27), their association being ended by Zaheer just after tea.
Zaheer then cleaned up Mitchell Johnson (one) with an inswinger and Hussey was the second victim in the same over, the left-hand batsman also falling in similar fashion.
By then, Hussey, who had thrown caution to the wind after the fall of Lee, had clobbered 15 boundaries and a six off Harbhajan Singh over long-on.
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