Il Nuovo Postiglione - Australia reeling on 94-3 after Ashwin strikes twice

Usman Khawaja looked to steady the innings after fellow opener David Warner fell for 15, but Ashwin grabbed two in the space of three balls to rattle the tourists in New Delhi.

The left-handed Khawaja was batting on 50 alongside the recalled Travis Head, on one, at the break at Arun Jaitley Stadium.

The Australians, beaten inside three days in the first Test of the four-match series, won the toss and elected to bat on another turning pitch.

Warner, who scored one and 10 in Nagpur in the first Test, got his first runs on the 21st ball he faced before falling to fast bowler Mohammed Shami.

He had faced a barrage of short balls by seamer Mohammed Siraj and took a couple of blows, on the elbow and the back of the helmet.

But just when it looked the left-handed opener had settled in, Shami produced a peach of a delivery that pitched and held its line from around the wicket for the keeper to take the edge.

Khawaja rode his luck with the ball taking a few inside edges off the bat but he battled through to raise his 20th Test half-century.

Ashwin inaugurated India's spin attack in the seventh over and he got a big turn, despite getting hit for a straight six by Khawaja.

Ashwin got Marnus Labuschagne lbw for 18 on a decision given not out by the on-field umpire but successfully reviewed by India.

He then got Smith caught behind for a second-ball duck.

Test specialist Cheteshwar Pujara was presented with a special cap on his landmark 100th match and entered the field through a corridor created by the players.

Australia made two changes with Head returning and a Test debut for left-arm spinner Matthew Kuhnemann, who was flown in after the opening defeat debacle in Nagpur.

India made one change with Shreyas Iyer in for Suryakumar Yadav.

The hosts haven't lost a Test at the venue -- previously called Feroz Shah Kotla -- since 1987.

E.Danieli--INP