Having traded blows on a demonic pitch in Perth, Australia and India are likely to encounter a far more docile deck in Melbourne.
The four-Test series, level at 1-1 following Australia's 146-run win in the second Test, continues at the MCG on Boxing Day.
Both sides will enjoy the week's break, having been physically battered in a brutal contest at Optus Stadium.
Aaron Finch, Marcus Harris, Tim Paine, Nathan Lyon, Virat Kohli, Umesh Yadav and Ishant Sharma were among the batsmen to cop blows of varying severity in the contest.
The respective pace attacks are unlikely to receive anywhere near as much assistance at the MCG, where two of the past four Tests have ended in a draw.
Criticism about the MCG pitch crescendoed a year ago, when the venue was officially put on notice by the International Cricket Council for its "poor" pitch.
The MCG has since attempted to make its deck more lively but recent evidence suggests it will be a far more batsman-friendly venue than Perth.
There have been five centuries scored in three MCG matches this Sheffield Shield season, headlined by Marcus Harris' unbeaten 250 that sealed his Test call-up.
"There's been a lot of talk about this wicket, there's been a lot of talk about the MCG wicket after last year," Australia coach Justin Langer said on Fox.
Langer revealed he was so worried about the bouncer barrage directed at Australia's tail on day four of the second Test that he floated the idea of declaring.
"This might sound ridiculous now because Josh (Hazlewood) and Mitch (Starc) put on 30 at the end ... (but) we were thinking maybe we should declare now," Langer said.
"We didn't want anything to happen to Nathan Lyon or to happen to one of our bowlers.
"He (Mohammed Shami) is not renowned as an ultra-aggressive bowler but it was ultra-aggressive and I was nervous to watch."
Finch's finger injury, inflicted by a Shami delivery that reared at him, was serious enough for the opener to retire hurt but subsequent scans cleared him of a fracture.
"He'll be fine," Langer said.
Paine is confident Hazlewood, Starc and Pat Cummins will be fit and firing after playing two Tests in a fortnight.
"They're all going beautifully at the moment, they've bowled a lot of overs but we've got a decent rest," Paine said.
"All three of those guys are super professional, so they will be raring to go."
