You could see the look of despair on Virat Kohli's face when Steven Smith called right to give Australia a crucial toss. And that despair was understandable as Australia, led by the captain Smith, piled on the runs on a flat wicket on day one of the third Test in Ranchi.
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On a slow and low wicket, which really had very little in it for the bowlers, Australia made full use of the good batting conditions and some poor bowling from India in the first 10 overs, with Matt Renshaw and David Warner pushing the score to 50 in a hurry, before, after a bit if a wicket flurry, Smith and Glenn Maxwell took over, putting on a brilliant, unbeaten 159-run partnership for the fifth wicket.
Slow and low is the mantra that India are using in this Test series, after the Pune debacle, and this pitch is certainly that, with the ball hardly coming onto the bat.
The key for the Aussies was always going to be Smith, and the captain stepped up again, scoring his second century in this Test series. A lot of credit must also go to Maxwell, making his comeback and looking right at home on an, albeit, batting beauty.
Australia got off to a searing start, courtesy Warner and Renshaw, before they lost their way a little after the openers fell.
Warner (19, 26b, 2x4), looking good, enjoying himself on this slow wicket and gladly smashing the boundaries to the awful deliveries that the fast bowlers bowled with the new ball, gave his wicket away to Ravindra Jadeja when he hit a full toss straight back to the bowler.
That ended a flying opening partnership of 50 from just 9.4 overs, with Australia pushing on from there with a mini-partnership between Matt Renshaw and captain Smith, with India doing really well to pull the run rate back and just build a bit of pressure.
Renshaw was quite impressive again, putting away any and all loose deliveries, with that attacking intent giving him quite a few runs with the new ball. There were a couple of leading edges off R Ashwin, who could not find too much purchase from the wicket, with the moisture underneath surprisingly not giving him a lot of turn, but for the most part, the left-hander looked quite good, timing the ball brilliantly.
He lost his concentration, though, when Kohli, who would suffer a shoulder injury in the second session, brought Umesh Yadav back, with Renshaw (44, 69b, 7x4) giving Kohli some catching practice at first slip by just hanging his bat out.
Ashwin then picked up his first wicket of the Test match, when he found the inside edge of Shaun Marsh, with the ball carrying off the pad to Cheteshwar Pujara, who took a nice catch diving to his left at short leg.
After Handscomb (19, 47b, 2x4) stuck around with Smith, who went past 5000 runs in Test cricket, before completing his 19th century, for a 51-run partnership, Maxwell, making his comeback, came in and did quite well, looking solid in defence to put on another half-century alliance and take Australia to Tea just four down.
From there, with India only having four proper bowlers, Smith and Maxwell took full toll. Neither looked even remotely troubled and with Kohli out of the field due to the injury, the energy levels of the home team also seemed to drop.
Ajinkya Rahane, the vice-captain, just could not inspire something special from his team, with Smith and Maxwell making merry.
As the day wound down and with his fast bowlers looking tired, Rahane only took the new ball in over number 87, but even then the final few overs was just about getting through the motions for India, who, such was their state, missed out on a chance to get Maxwell, playing by far his best innings in Tests, when he gloved one to Rahane at first slip, with the stand-in captain himself deciding against going for the review.
That pretty much summed up India's day, and if they don't find inspiration from somewhere on day two, Australia will march to a massive total, which will then take one result out of the game.
Scores:
First innings: Australia: 299/4 in 90 overs, stumps day one.
First session: 109/3 in 30 overs.
Second session: 85/1 in 30 overs.
Third session: 105/0 in 30 overs.
Batting in the middle: Steven Smith (117, 243b, 13x4) and Glenn Maxwell (82, 147b, 5x4, 2x6).
Bowling: First innings: India: Ishant Sharma 15-2-46-0; Umesh Yadav 19-3-63-2; R Ashwin 23-2-78-1; Ravindra Jadeja 30-3-80-1; Murali Vijay 3-0-17-0.
Fall of wickets: First innings: Australia: 50/1, David Warner (9.4 overs); 80/2, Matt Renshaw (22.3 overs); 89/3, Shaun Marsh (25.1 overs); 140/4, Peter Handscomb (42.2 overs).
