Australia have a golden chance to complete their first Test win in India since 2004 after an astonishing six-wicket haul from Steve O'Keefe in Pune.
O'Keefe snared six wickets during a chaotic 38 minutes on day two of the first Test, consigning the top-ranked Test side to a record collapse of 7-11 and near-record low total of 105.
Australia were 4-143 in response at stumps on Friday, holding a 298-run overall lead thanks to Steve Smith's class and India's crass fielding.
"It's amazing how things can quickly change over here. I was 0-30 off nine and probably didn't bowl very well at all in my first six overs and then it all just happened very quickly," O'Keefe said.
"It hasn't really sunk in yet. I think it will if that contributes to a win.
"When you play under a captain who shows a lot of belief in you, it's amazing what can happen.
"I've got a good coach who tapped me on the head between sessions and he's not afraid to tell it to your face and tell it to you straight.
"We've had a good day but that's all it is ... they're all match winners, their top four batters."
Smith finished 59 not out after being dropped on 23, 29 and 37. Matt Renshaw, who appeared to vomit after copping a blow from a bouncer to the forearm, was also given a life on 25.
"That has certainly pushed us back a little bit ... it is something that has hurt us in the past," Indian coach Anil Kumble said.
"It was a disappointing day ... there were a couple of soft dismissals.
"It's a challenging surface. It requires application, it requires aggression and a bit of caution as well."
Virat Kohli, who earlier recorded his first Test duck at home, struggled to hide his fury as the chances piled up on a day when a total of 15 wickets fell on a cracking dust bowl.
"Kohli has steam coming out of those ears ... that's lazy fielding (from Murali Vijay) at second slip," Michael Clarke said on Star Sports.
Renshaw, batting at No.5 because he was off the field sick in the morning session, added six runs following the reprieve before he picked out Ishant Sharma in the deep.
Mitch Marsh was unbeaten on 21, boosting his side's bid to snap a nine-Test losing streak in Asia.
India's 20-Test undefeated streak at home looked under threat during Friday's morning session, when Mitchell Starc removed Kohli and Cheteshwar Pujara in a double-wicket maiden. Starc earlier slapped 61 runs from 63 deliveries, lifting the tourists to a total of 260.
O'Keefe inflicted India's worst seven-wicket collapse in Test history. The hosts' paltry total was just one run higher than their lowest against Australia in India, which came in 2004 in Mumbai.
O'Keefe and Nathan Lyon delighted in the spinners' paradise, prepared with star spinners Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja in mind, combining for four wickets in the space of eight balls.
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