Australia's batsmen undid the dogged work of their bowlers by becoming tangled in the web of Indian spinners Pragyan Ojha and Harbhajan Singh on day four of the second Test at Bangalore.
Following an opening stand of 58, the Australians slid to 3-94 and a lead of only 77 at tea, as Shane Watson (31), Simon Katich (24) and vice-captain Michael Clarke (three) fell in quick succession to Ojha (2-19) and Harbhajan (1-28).
Clarke's exit for three gave him a paltry 35 runs from four completed innings in the series, and left the weight of responsibility on Ricky Ponting (28no) and Mike Hussey (5no).
The Indians had earlier lost 5-9 in eight overs to be bowled out for 495 at lunch in reply to Australia's 478 after debutant Peter George (2-48) changed the game by dismissing the double centurion Sachin Tendulkar (214).
Shane Watson (1-35) backed up well at the other end with his best bowling stint of the series, before Nathan Hauritz (2-153) found some relief at the end of a difficult innings by pouching the last two wickets and ensuring the Indians would not be able to build a significant lead.
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George became the 10th bowler and the third Australian to claim the wicket of Tendulkar on their Test debut after Cameron White and Peter Siddle did the trick on the 2008 tour.
Resuming at 5-435, Tendulkar and MS Dhoni (30) quickly set about taking India to the lead. Tendulkar was soon saluting the M Chinnaswamy Stadium on completion of his sixth double century in Tests, and seemed hungry for plenty more.
The Australians, by contrast, were fading fast, until they were revived by a maiden wicket for George. Gaining a hint of reverse swing, George conjured a full delivery that Tendulkar tried to drive square but could only succeed in dragging onto his stumps.
Suddenly the Australians were revived in the field, and next over Watson had Harbhajan Singh pouched off bat and pad by Ponting. George had a second victim when Zaheer Khan pushed uppishly to cover.
Ponting relieved George in the shadows of lunch, allowing Hauritz to have Dhoni taken at slip from a delivery that drifted away, before last man Sreesanth was given lbw to an off break.
Facing up to the new ball, Watson and Katich began with plenty of intent, and raised their half century stand in 63 balls.
However the introduction of Ojha then Harbhajan slowed their progress, and Watson was the first to go, lbw to a delivery that pitched on middle and straightened.
Next over Katich touched an off break on the way through to Dhoni, and Clarke ended an unconvincing stay when he pushed out at Ojha, left his back toe on the line and was stumped by the Indian captain.
