India were reeling on 22 for two wickets at close of play on the first day of the rain-hit fourth and final Test against Australia at the Wankhede stadium in Mumbai on Wednesday.
Virender Sehwag (8) and Test debutant Gautam Gambhir (3) were the batsmen dismissed.
When bad light ended play, after only 11 overs, Rahul Dravid (9) and Sachin Tendulkar (2), were at the crease.
For the first time in the series India won the toss and, given all the doomsday predictions for the track, no one was surprised when stand-in captain Dravid elected to bat first.
But the overcast sky also meant that the fast bowlers would get help from the dry wicket.
India, having already lost the series 0-2, picked two uncapped players, opener Gambhir, for Akash Chopra, and wicketkeeper Dinesh Karthik, for Parthiv Patel.
They also went into the match with three spinners and Zaheer Khan, the only genuine paceman.
Tendulkar is expected to open the bowling for the first time in his career with his seamers.
Skipper Ricky Ponting returned to the Australian team after missing the first three Tests due to injury.
The visitors are without Shane Warne, who is out with a broken thumb. Off-spinner Nathan Hauritz made his Test debut.
Sehwag's innings was typical of the way he has played in recent times. He slashed at the first ball he faced and was lucky to be dropped in the slips. But he did not learn his lesson. Looking at him bat, one gets the feeling that the Aussies prefer giving him a few balls outside the off-stump, knowing he will go for the shot.
The Aussies started with three slips and a gully as Jason Gillespie and Glenn McGrath opened the attack, but looking at the way Sehwag was batting, Ponting quickly had another fielder in the gully region.
Sehwag was soon out after scoring 8. He played down the wrong line to an in-cutter and the ball crashed into the top of the off-stump. McGrath got his first wicket of the match. (11 for 1)
While many may argue that his approach hasn't changed, one thinks it has. In Australia, he seemed more prepared to play out the first hour before attacking. In recent times, he appears content going after the bowlers from the first ball. But, then, you can't argue with success.
Gambhir fell off the next ball, trapped leg before wicket by Jason Gillespie with a delivery that came in sharply. The ball pitched on leg and straightened, Gambhir's footwork was in a tangle. (11 for 2)
Only 25 minutes of action and four overs were possible once play finally started at 1400 hours before rain intervened again.
The players returned to the field for another seven overs before bad light forced the umpires to abandon play for the day.
The batsmen were offered light and Dravid accepted it.
Tendulkar was lucky to be there at close. He survived a huge appeal for leg-before wicket two overs from the end, when he shouldered arms to a McGrath delivery, But umpire Rudi Koertzen ruled in the batsman's favour.
India -- Rahul Dravid (captain), Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, Sachin Tendulkar, Vangipurappu Laxman, Mohammad Kaif, Dinesh Karthik, Murali Kartik, Harbhajan Singh, Anil Kumble, Zaheer Khan.
Australia -- Ricky Ponting (captain), Justin Langer, Matthew Hayden, Simon Katich, Damien Martyn, Michael Clarke, Adam Gilchrist, Nathan Hauritz, Jason Gillespie, Michael Kasprowicz, Glenn McGrath.Umpires: Rudi Koertzen (South Africa), Aleem Dar (Pakistan); Third umpire: K.Hariharan (India)
Match referee: Ranjan Madugalle (Sri Lanka)
Check the squads for the fourth Test
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Ponting eyes winning finish
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