A tender top hand and a sore thumb on the other did not stop David Warner from punching a rapid 40 as Australia extended their lead to 155 on the fourth morning of the Boxing Day Test.
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It took less than three overs for Australia to finish off the Indian innings for 465, continuing a pattern of poor returns for the tail.
Mitchell Johnson took both wickets, with Mohammed Shami caught in the slips for 12 and Umesh Yadav caught behind for a second ball duck. The tourists added just three runs to their overnight total.
Australia's runs from the lower order in this Test could prove the difference between the sides. In the first innings Australia's last four wickets produced 154 runs, compared with 31 for India.
In the first two Tests India's last four wickets produced 38, 11, 23 and 71.
Warner said before play that his right forearm, struck by Peter Siddle in the nets two days earlier, was "quite tender at the moment".
"The [left] thumb is sore as well but I will have that covered up and I can still hold the bat".
He insisted he was not in doubt for the Sydney Test and promised to "go out there and bat with good intent". That is what he did, cutting his first ball from Yadav for four.
Five more boundaries flowed from his bat during his hour at the crease before he was out lbw to Ravi Ashwin for 40 from 42 balls.
Chris Rogers waited until the 16th over to strike his first boundary but it was a beauty, punched down the ground off the bowling of Ishant Sharma. He was unbeaten at lunch on 33 with Shane Watson not out on 15. Australia were 1-90 at lunch.
