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Australia have gone to lunch on day two at 5-101 in the decisive fifth Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy at the SCG, in reply to India's 185.
Steve Smith will have to wait longer to reach 10,000 Test runs, dismissed five runs short of the milestone after a chaotic start to day two at the SCG.
With Smith caught in the slips just before lunch, Australia went to the break at 5-101 in reply to India's 185 and with debutant Beau Webster holding the innings together.
Smith had looked in imperious touch after centuries in Brisbane and Melbourne, but was out to his first false shot of the day when he edged Prasidh Krishna.
His exit left the game firmly in the balance, following a morning in which Australia lost Marnus Labuschagne, Sam Konstas and Travis Head in the first 45 minutes of play.
The wickets put India back in the match, with the tourists needing to win in Sydney to level the series at 2-2 and retain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
After Labuschagne was caught behind in the third over off the day by Jasprit Bumrah (2-27), Konstas showed no signs of reigning in his aggression.
Following the pair's opening-night spat, the 19-year-old charged the second ball he faced off Bumrah on Saturday and hit him for four past mid off.
Once India removed their deep third man, Konstas immediately employed his favourite tactic and reverse-scooped India's premier bowler through the vacant region.
But when India took out their cover and gave him room to drive, Konstas was lured into the trap and edged a Mohammed Siraj (2-28) outswinger to the gully on 23.
His dismissal brought Head to the wicket against a swinging ball and the South Australian edged his third delivery to second slip to be out for four.
From there, Webster and Smith looked to take charge.
Smith made his intent clear when he pulled India's new seamer Prasidh for six late in the first hour, before cover-driving the right-armer's next delivery for four.
Another boundary came when he cut Siraj, before back-to-back fours just before lunch off Nitish Kumar Reddy had Smith on the verge of history.
But just when it looked as if he was about to become the 15th man to reach 10,000 Test runs, Prasidh found the vice-captain's edge and he was out for 33.
Webster, meanwhile, has looked every bit the player who has averaged above 50 for the past three years in the Sheffield Shield on his way to 28no.
The Tasmanian got off the mark with a push through the covers, glanced Bumrah fine for his first boundary and powerfully pulled Prasidh for another.
After bowling 13 overs on the opening day and taking two catches, the the 31-year-old now has a crucial job to do with the bat to take Australia to safety.
