Australia ends first day on top after 'terrible' pitch causes 'mayhem' during third Test
Australia has rebounded superbly from a disappointing second Test, dominating the opening day of the third match on yet another controversial pitch in India.
The Indore curators were well and truly in the gun after seven wickets fell in the first session of the third match.
After being forced to field first, Australia rolled India for 109, before finishing on 4-156 at stumps, with Usman Khawaja spearheading the reply with a brilliant 60 at the top of the order.
AS IT HAPPENED: Third Test, day one
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The tourists opened with two fast bowlers but turned to spin in the sixth over, and tweakers Matt Kuhnemann, Nathan Lyon, and Todd Murphy wreaked havoc.
Cheteshwar Pujara of India is bowled by Nathan Lyon of Australia during day one in Indore, India. (Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images) Getty
A Lyon delivery, in particular, pitched two feet wide of off stump but gripped and spun sharply, and stayed low, to rattle into the stumps of Cheteshwar Pujara.
It was an unplayable delivery that left players and commentators stunned.
Matthew Hayden was highly critical of the pitch in commentary, and countrymen Mark Waugh, Brendon Julian, and Brad Haddin all agreed.
"That was mayhem," Waugh said on Fox Cricket.
Matthew Kuhnemann made the most of the rank turner, destroying India's batting line-up on day one Robert Cianflone via Getty Images
"The pitch is probably not up to Test standard, I think it's fair to say that.
"That's not good enough. You need luck, no matter how good a player of spin you are."
Julian labelled it "terrible" and took aim at the ground staff.
"They have not prepared that (pitch) properly," Julian said.
During the lunch break, Indian coach Rahul Dravid was seen having words with the curator.
Hayden - who averaged 51.35 in Tests in India and was a member of the last Australian team to win a series there in 2004 - was in the commentary box during the first session at Indore.
He was furious at how tough the pitch made it for batters to make traction.
"This is why I've got a problem with these conditions," Hayden said.
"There's no way in the world that a spin bowler should come on in the sixth over, no way.
"You've got to give the batters a chance, you're judging their performances in Test match cricket.
The ground staff inside the Holkar Stadium were under fire after spinning conditions on day one Robert Cianflone via Getty Images
"It shouldn't be keeping low and turning a mile on day one."
Many had expected Kuhnemann to make way for an extra seamer, but the left-armer capitalised on his opportunity, finishing with career-best figures of 5-16 off just nine overs. Lyon finished with 3-35 off 11.2 overs while Murphy was Australia's other wicket-taker.
After collapsing twice in the first two Tests, not much was expected of Australia as Khawaja and Travis Head came out to bat.
Head perished for just nine as India's chief destroyer Ravindra Jadeja struck in his first over, and Jadeja could've had two in two overs had he not overstepped when he bowled Marnus Labuschagne.
Australia's No.3 made the most of that reprieve and two others before eventually being castled by Jadeja for 31, but not before he and Khawaja had virtually knocked off India's entire first-innings total.
Usman Khawaja played brilliantly for his 60 before being caught on the boundary late on day one Robert Cianflone via Getty Images
Khawaja played expertly for his second half-century of the series, before finding Shubman Gill at the deep mid-wicket boundary on a slog-sweep attempt off Jadeja.
Australia's stand-in skipper Steve Smith looked to take the bowling on during his brief stay at the crease, hitting four quick boundaries, before being caught behind for 26 off 38 deliveries.
Jadeja was Rohit Sharma's most-used bowler, finishing the day with figures of 4-63 off 24 overs, with India's other spinners struggling to keep a lid on Australia's batters.
Australia will resume on day two with Peter Handscomb and Cameron Green at the crease after the pair managed to negotiate a tricky final 20 minutes.
The first session is likely to determine the course of the match, with India looking to restrict the first-innings deficit to below triple figures, while the tourists look to bat the home side out of the contest.
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