India batted for five-and-a-half sessions as if they would never declare, and then they declared.

Instead of incrementally increasing urgency throughout day two, the tourists simply flicked a switch when the third new ball was taken. They hit a few, lost a couple and were promptly called in by captain Virat Kohli.

It left India with 443 on the board from 169.4 overs. Admittedly their scoring rate was largely dictated by a frustratingly docile MCG pitch, but there was room for attack earlier in proceedings when Cheteshwar Pujara was leaving and Rishabh Pant was plodding.

DAY TWO REPORT: What cost Australia’s bowlers more than the pitch

Pujara was dismissed for a ton and was stoic throughout his 17th Test century. But Pant was not his usual free-flowing self until five minutes before he skied a Mitchell Starc delivery to gully where Usman Khawaja took a simple (on any other day) catch.

The Indians’ lack of aggression earlier in the day and the subsequent declaration has left the door ajar for the Australians to pounce on days three and four with the bat. They missed a trick.

Either they had to force the pace a fraction earlier, or bat longer into day three with a view of winning by an innings. A score of 443 is healthy, but hardly worthy of a declaration on day two of a Test.

If the home team can get its act together, and that remains a huge if, then they could potentially bat just once and have a crack at India on day five.

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Mitchell Starc claimed the wicket of Virat Kohli. Photo: Quinn Rooney/Getty Images. Source: Getty Images

Aaron Finch and Pujara spoke to the media after the day’s play. Both conceded the pitch is “deteriorating” and should continue to do so for the rest of the match.

“I think that this wicket is deteriorating a lot more than we probably thought it would,” Finch said.

“It’s still game on if we bat really well, and back up and bowl again and put India a lot of pressure. I think all three results are still on the table.

“We’ve very confident we can bat big and put India under pressure again.”

It’s hard to be too critical of Pujara — although Ian Chappell was on Macquarie Sports Radio for not turning over the strike — but having reached 50 off 200 balls on day one, he should have kicked on at least a fraction of a per cent on Thursday.

AUS v IND: Day 2 Highlights 2:27

Instead, his strike-rate remained below 50 and it was left to Kohli to be the aggressor, which was fine except he was out for 82 from 204 balls, having made 32 runs from his final 94 deliveries.

The other possibility is that Pujara and Kohli are not to blame at all in the way they batted, but rather Kohli’s message to his teammates should have evoked more ambitious stroke play.

Rohit Sharma, who finished unbeaten on 63 from 114, waited until the cusp of his captain’s declaration before he decided to clear his front leg and play shots seen routinely throughout each of his three one-day international double tons.

When he was dropped by Peter Siddle off Nathan Lyon, he was on 16 off 61 balls. Granted, it was not the conditions to make an 80-ball ton, but the lack of intent played straight into Australia’s slippery hands.

Warnie and Skull predictions 1:27

Shortly after, India sat 5-380 when Pant had five off 26 balls and Sharma 38 from 79 balls. In the field, Finch was contemplating what was to come when India’s batting should have made it abundantly clear what lay ahead.

“There were a couple of discussions out there and a few different opinions,” Finch said post-play.

“Some guys thought that they might bat out the day and have a little dart tomorrow and go big.”

Time will tell whether 443 is a winning or losing score and Australia certainly has work ahead of it. But by not taking the game forward earlier, the Indians may have erred tactically at a time when they had the Aussies on the mat gasping for air and the Border-Gavaskar Trophy almost out of reach.

Now Tim Paine can touch it again and he has India’s conservative batting on the afternoon of day two to thank.