NEW DELHI: Australia pacemen fired again in unison to bowl out India for a paltry 161 on the first day of the third Test at the WACA ground in Perth.

Ben Hilfenhaus (4-43), Mitchell Starc (2-39) and Peter Siddle (3-42) made short work on the much vaunted Indian batting line up to bowl out the tourists after skipper Michael Clarke won the toss elected to field.

Virat Kohli top scored with 44 runs and shared a valuable 68 runs for the fifth wicket with VVS Laxman (31) as India capitulated either side of the partnership.

India lost four wickets quickly in the post teat session as they just scored 23 runs in 5.2 overs.

India slumped to 144/6 at tea after losing Virat Kohli and VVS Laxman in quick succession on the first day of the third Test against Australia at the WACA ground in Perth.

Peter Siddle double strike dented India's hopes of reviving from early collapse as he scalped Kohli and Laxman in his successive overs to reduce India to 138/6 in 52.5 overs. However, the pair added valuable 68 runs stand for the fifth wicket.

At the break, Mahendra Singh Doni was on 4 with Vinay Kumar on 5.

India's batting woes continued as Australia's pace attack made early inroads on a lively green WACA wicket to leave India struggling on 73 for four at lunch.

India's predicament worsened moments when opener Gautam Gambhir was caught behind off swing bowler Ben Hilfenhaus for 31.

Playing his first match of the series, Ryan Harris demolished Sachin Tendulkar's dream to score his elusive 100th international ton as the bowler caught the champion batsman plumb in front of the wicket.

India suffered another blow when Australian paceman Peter Siddle struck in his first over to remove Rahul Dravid on the first day of the third Test at the WACA ground in Perth.

Dravid attempted to flick full length delivery off his pads, probably beaten up by the pace and the ball ricochets off his pads to the stumps. Dravid made nine off 35 balls with the help of a boundary.

Dravid added 28 runs for the second wicket with Gautam Gambhir after losing Virender Sehwag early.

India's opening woes continued as the visitors lost Sehwag for a duck in the fourth over of the opening day.

Ben Hilfenhaus struck early when dangerous Sehwag looked to play to the offside that took an outside edge to Ricky Ponting at slip as India dealt an early blow.

Earlier, Australian skipper Michael Clarke won the toss and elected to bowl in the third Test of the four-match series.

Both Australia and India go with four quicks in the match. Pacer Vinay Kumar came in place of off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin for India whereas for the hosts Mitchell Starc replace spinner Nathan Lyon.

Australia hold a 2-0 lead in the four-Test series after convincing wins in Melbourne and Sydney.
India must win both remaining Tests to retain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

Friday's match got under way under clear skies and in warm conditions, but there was some rain forecast for the coming days as a cyclone edges down the WA coast.

The star-studded top-order collapsed yet again as India were left tottering at 73 for 4 during the opening session, on the first day of the third cricket Test against Australia, at the WACA.

Virender Sehwag (0), Rahul David (9), Sachin Tendulkar (15) and Gautam Gambhir (31) were cooling their heels in the pavilion as VVS Laxman (4 batting) and Virat Kohli (10 batting) held fort during the break.

Ben Hilfenhaus, top wicket-taker for Australia in the series so far, once again set the tone with figures of two for 25 for his first session's effort, ably aided by Peter Siddle and Ryan Harris who took the other two wickets.

Put in to bat on a green-top, India lost opener Virender Sehwag (0) and Rahul Dravid (9) inside the first hour.

Sehwag was at the crease for 15 minutes and had faced only three balls when a Hilfenhaus delivery pitched on the leg stump and shaped away taking the edge of Sehwag's bat and Ricky Ponting took a low catch in second slip.

India were 4 for 1 in the fourth over of the innings.

Dravid survived 34 balls but was beaten off most of them, indicating the great No 3 batsman presently is not in the best of form.

The introduction of Siddle finally signalled his exit, in the by now familiar manner as the pacer successfully breached Indian stalwart's defence. The delivery was pitched full on his leg stump and Dravid, slightly late on the stroke, dragged it back on to his stumps.

Just before Dravid was dismissed, he had square driven Siddle to the point boundary.

Australian paceman were on a roll as they dismissed India's top four batsmen in the first session to leave the hosts tottering 63/4 in 25.1 overs.

Playing his first match of the series, Ryan Harris demolished Sachin Tendulkar's dream to score his elusive 100th international ton as the bowler caught the champions batsman plumb in front of the wicket.

India suffered another blow when Australian paceman Peter Siddle struck in his first over to remove Rahul Dravid on the first day of the third Test at the WACA ground in Perth.

Dravid attempted to flick full length delivery off his pads, probably beaten up by the pace and the ball ricochets off his pads to the stumps. Dravid made nine off 35 balls with the help of a boundary.

Dravid added 28 runs for the second wicket with Gautam Gambhir after losing Virender Sehwag early.

India's opening woes continued as the visitors lost Sehwag for a duck in the fourth over of the opening day.

Ben Hilfenhaus struck early when dangerous Sehwag looked to play to the offside that took an outside edge to Ricky Ponting at slip as India dealt an early blow.

Earlier, Australian skipper Michael Clarke won the toss and elected to bowl in the third Test of the four-match series.

Both Australia and India go with four quicks in the match. Pacer Vinay Kumar came in place of off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin for India whereas for the hosts Mitchell Starc replace spinner Nathan Lyon.

Australia hold a 2-0 lead in the four-Test series after convincing wins in Melbourne and Sydney.
India must win both remaining Tests to retain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

Friday's match got under way under clear skies and in warm conditions, but there was some rain forecast for the coming days as a cyclone edges down the WA coast.