Batting kingpin Virat Kohli was out cheaply as Australia's fearsome attack pegged back India to 107-4 by tea on day one of the decisive fifth and final Test on Friday.
India dropped Rohit Sharma and replacement skipper Jasprit Bumrah sent his side in at the Sydney Cricket Ground, but they struggled against some accurate and fiery bowling.
At the break, a battling Rishabh Pant was on 32 from 80 balls with Ravindra Jadeja not-out 11.
Kohli had a huge left-off on his first ball and finally departed for 17, following KL Rahul (4), Yashasvi Jaiswal (10) and Shubman Gill (20) who were out before lunch.
Regular captain and opener Rohit was "rested", India said, after failing to get past 10 runs in any of his five innings during the series, which Australia lead 2-1.
It was a significant move with the series on the line and could spell the end of the 37-year-old's 67-match Test career.
Fellow veteran Kohli, 36, has similarly been under pressure since an unbeaten 100 in the first Test at Perth, with his failure to again build a big score set to intensify the scrutiny.
Rahul reverted to opener alongside Jaiswal, with Gill returning at three.
But the ploy backfired with Rahul out softly with Mitchell Starc tempting him to clip a full delivery to Sam Konstas at cover.
There were concerns ahead of the Test over star seamer Starc's fitness but he showed no discomfort and routinely troubled the batsmen, finding plenty of movement.
Scott Boland came on after an opening barrage from Pat Cummins and took the big wicket of in-form Jaiswal in his first over, collected smartly at slip by debutant Beau Webster -- in the side for the axed Mitchell Marsh.
The hosts were convinced Boland had Kohli out for a golden duck next ball.
The Indian star edged to Steve Smith at second slip and diving low to his right, he got his hand under the ball and scooped it up for Marnus Labuschagne to complete the catch.
But in a big call by third umpire Joel Wilson, he ruled that part of the ball feathered the ground and Kohli survived.
India seemed destined to reach lunch without further loss, but Nathan Lyon drew an outside edge from Gill and Smith took the catch.
Australia tightened the pressure when they returned with Kohli adding just five runs before the irrepressible Boland struck again with a ball that nipped away, taking an edge to Webster at slip.
The ebullient Pant was criticised for throwing his wicket away in the fourth Test at Melbourne, which Australia won, and he was far more conservative this time.
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Peppered with bouncers that repeatedly hit his body, he bravely hung around alongside Jadeja, who was dropped on three and again on five.
Australia will regain the Border-Gavaskar trophy for the first time since 2014-15 if they win or draw.