India's master batsmen will look to make Australia's bowlers melt in sweltering conditions on what is shaping up as a pivotal second day of the Boxing Day Test.
The tourists will resume on 2-215, with skipper Virat Kohli unbeaten on 47 and batting wall Cheteshwar Pujara 68 not out after they won the toss on what was to prove a slow-burn day.
Virat Kohli looks to consolidate a steady start for the tourists.Credit:AAP
On a deck providing inconsistent bounce and under pressure to avoid another poor rating, the home side faces an enormous challenge on Thursday to take early wickets and regain the momentum they enjoyed in Perth.
Dashing Bangalore debutant Mayank Agarwai, who provided an entertaining 76, said the drop-in pitch was good for batting although the tourists were held to the lowest day one score at the MCG since 1997.
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"I won't complain about the pitch. I thought it was good to bat on. It did do a bit early on and it was a bit slow. And then as the day progressed as we batted after lunch, it got a bit quicker," he said.
Australian skipper Tim Paine drops his opposite number, Virat Kohli, off a Mitchell Starc delivery late in the day.Credit:AAP
The tourists unveiled their new opening combination but Manuma Vihari may not have long in the role. He was hit on the helmet by Pat Cummins and fell soon after for eight, when he fended awkwardly at a short ball and gloved a catch to slips.
Agarwai was keen to get a move on, and became the first Indian to make a half-century on Test debut in Australia since his country's first tour here in 1947.
He lived dangerously, thumped eight boundaries and a six down the ground off Nathan Lyon and was on the cusp of an entertaining century when he was caught down the leg side off a short ball from Cummins.
That was to prove the final wicket of the day where deliveries from the fast bowlers, at times, bounced twice past the batsman before reaching wicketkeeper Tim Paine and, on one startling occasion, reared off the pitch and bounced only once to the boundary.
Paine could rue dropping Kohli on 47 off Mitchell Starc close to stumps when he dived to his right but was unable to cup an edge in his right glove.
Kohli was given a rousing reception by the 73,516 supporters on hand – a record day one attendance at the MCG involving India – and played with the authority of a man comfortable in these conditions. He took on Mitchell Johnson at this venue four years ago and posted a century, and is in the mood for another.
Starc, Josh Hazlewood and spinner Lyon, the latter with a hold on the tourists through Adelaide and Perth, were wicketless, while allrounder Mitch Marsh, who had been jeered through the day, eased the load with 15 overs.
Should India keep the home side's fast bowlers on the field for the better part of three sessions on Thursday in temperatures forecast to nudge 40 degrees, it could have a major workload impact not only on this Test but for next week's fourth and final match in Sydney.
"Hopefully, if our batters can do what they have been doing today, we will try and post a big score and try and keep them for as long as we can. The bigger the score the more pressure we can put (on)," Agarwai said.
"It's nice to have guys who can bat long and we are doing that and we are playing that many number of balls and we are playing that many number of sessions. It's only going to go well for us the longer we bat."
Jon Pierik is a sports writer with The Age, focusing primarily on AFL football, cricket and basketball. He has won awards for his cricket and basketball writing.
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