Australia is in a dire position in the Perth Test and the crowd reminded the hosts of just that in a comical moment on day two.

Tail-enders Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood combined for an innings-high partnership of 25 runs in the first Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series, but the hosts were still 46 runs in arrears when India bowled them out.

Australia’s total of 104 marks its fourth-lowest Test innings total against India.

FOLLOW LIVE: Australia vs India first Test, day two

READ MORE: Wallabies makes six changes for Scotland Test

READ MORE: Simmons miss draws brutal reaction from Philly fans

A jeering crowd let the Australians know about their struggles when a big cheer went up as the hosts brought up 100 runs with nine wickets down.

Starc worked a straight Nitish Kumar Reddy delivery behind square on the leg side and collected a single, bringing a mischievous crowd to its feet shortly before lunch.

“That’s a little pocket of yellow and they’re cheering 100, which seemed so far away when the ninth wicket went down,” Harsha Bhogle said on the Fox Cricket coverage.

“It’s been tough work for Australia,” Michael Hussey added on the Fox Cricket broadcast.

Australia had reached stumps on day one at 7-67, and although there was hope of the in-form Alex Carey rescuing the home side as he returned to the middle unbeaten on 19, the wicketkeeper-batsman was dismissed by Jasprit Bumrah without adding to his score.

Bumrah’s dismissal of Carey gave the supreme Indian quick his 11th Test five-for.

On day one of the Perth Test, the beguiling right-armer had found himself on a hat-trick after removing Marnus Labuschagne and Steve Smith with consecutive balls.

He produced a phenomenal bowling performance as stand-in skipper in Rohit Sharma’s absence, finishing with the glittering figures of 5-30 from 18 overs.

“Last night that opening burst was up there with the greatest opening spells you could ever see in Test match cricket,” Michael Vaughan said on Fox Cricket on day two.

“He had it going both ways, he bowled the perfect length, he was bowling 140km/h clicks and he had Australia on toast … It was a masterclass of how to bowl.”

Mark Waugh added: “It doesn’t get any better than that with the new ball”.

Test debutant Harshit Rana took 3-48 from 15.2 overs and Mohammed Siraj claimed 2-20 from 13 overs.

Starc (26), Carey (21), Travis Head (11) and Nathan McSweeney (10) were the only Australians who reached double figures.