PHOTOS: Warner puts Australia in control at WACA

David Warner smashed the fastest Test century by an opening batsman as Australia battered India on the first day of the third Test on Friday, dismissing the tourists for 161 before racing to within 12 runs of that tally.

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Warner's 69-ball century was the joint fourth-fastest ever in Tests and he finished the day on 104 not out with Ed Cowan unbeaten on 40 and the hosts sitting pretty on 149 without loss.

Earlier, Australia captain Michael Clarke won the toss and chose to bowl first in the third Test against India at the WACA in Perth on Friday.

Australia, who lead the four-match series 2-0, decided to drop spinner Nathan Lyon and include four pacemen to take advantage of what is expected to be a lively wicket with plenty of bounce.

India also went in with four paceman, handing right-armer R Vinay Kumar his Test debut in place of spinner Ravi Ashwin in an otherwise unchanged side.

Ryan Harris, recalled to the side in place of the injured James Pattinson, was handed the brand new Kookaburra ball in the bright morning sun but it was Ben Hilfenhaus who made the breakthrough.

The big paceman fired an outswinger down to Sehwag, who had yet to score, in the fourth over of the day and the opener was tempted to go for it, got an edge and Ricky Ponting snapped up the catch in the slips.

The morning session was punctuated with loud lbw appeals but Dravid, famously known as The Wall of Indian Cricket, continued his recent trend of being bowled out.

Peter Siddle was the last of the Australian paceman to get a bowl but made an immediate impact by firing a yorker through Dravid's defence, the ball coming off the bat, onto the Indian's boots and hitting the stumps. He had made nine.

It was the fourth time in five innings in the series that Dravid, the second most prolific batsman in Test cricket, had been bowled - the fifth if you count the Siddle dismissal that was ruled out for a no ball in the first test in Melbourne.

Sachin Tendulkar made a bright start to his 22nd attempt to finally secure his 100th international century, opening his account with three well-struck boundaries.

But the veteran was soon back in the pavilion when Ryan Harris trapped him leg before for 15

Hilfenhaus got more reward for a fine display when he had Gautam Gambhir caught behind to end the opener's stubborn resistance for an 82-ball 31.

VVS Laxman (four not out) and Virat Kohli, unbeaten on 10, were at the crease as India were reduced to 73 for four at lunch.

Following the departure of Virender Sehwag, Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar and Gautam Gambhir at the cost of 73 runs by lunch, Virat Kohli and VVS Laxman launched something of a fightback by putting on 67 for the fifth wicket.

Siddle removed them both -- Kohli for 44, Laxman for 31 -- in short order before tea and the last four wickets tumbled for 17 runs in a little more than five overs after the break.

R Ashwin's batting was sorely missed after tea when Vinay Kumar (5) gave Starc his first wicket of the day.

Skipper MS Dhoni failed to show even a shadow of a fight and followed Vinay Kumar to the pavilion soon afterwards, caught in the slips off Hilfenhaus for 12.

Zaheer Khan (2) was Hilfenhaus's fourth victim with Starc mopping up the final wicket when he had Ishant Sharma caught behind for three.

The last four Indian wickets fell within a space of 32 deliveries.

The 25-year-old Warner, playing just his fifth Test, lit up the afternoon as he put the Indian bowlers to the sword and was cheered to rafters when brought up the hundred with a huge six, one of three in an innings which also included 13 fours.

He treated debutant R Vinay Kumar with the same disdain, hitting him over long-on for the first of his three sixes.

While the southpaw went about his business with pomp, Cowan was an admirable foil at the other end.

Warner sailed into the 90s when he welcomed Vinay Kumar in his second spell with another straight hit and blasted a six two deliveries later to reach his century off 69 balls with 13 fours and three sixes.