Australia's top-order issues in England have re-emerged after David Warner and Usman Khawaja both fell cheaply to India in their final innings before the Ashes.
But Australia remain on top of the World Test Championship decider against India, with Marnus Labuschagne taking them to stumps at The Oval on day three at 4-123 and with a lead of 296.
It came after Pat Cummins' men cast aside a sloppy Friday morning to have India all out for 296 in their first innings, with Scott Boland again impressing.
Despite the match position, there remain some concerns for Australia.
Warner was out caught behind for one to Mohammed Siraj, playing at a ball outside the off stump and edging it through to wicketkeeper KS Bharat.
The left-hander scored a fighting 43 in the first innings, but would have wanted more before next Friday's first after a horror 2019 tour.
Warner is all but assured of starting next Friday's first Test at Edgbaston, but needs runs to keep his spot and a dream of a Sydney farewell to Test cricket next January alive.
The 36-year-old won the support of his Delhi Capitals IPL coach and former Australia captain Ricky Ponting on Friday, who is adamant Warner will answer his critics in the Ashes.
"We know what we’re going to get with Davey," Ponting said.
"When his back’s to the wall the most is when he’s going to come out and try and throw the most punches.
"He did that in Melbourne (with a double-century against South Africa) in the summer and he’s started really well in the first innings in this game.
"He looked really good in the first innings ... he’d probably got through the hardest phase of the game in that first hour - and he was unlucky to get out."
Khawaja followed Warner after tea for 13 when he drove at a wide ball outside off stump off Umesh Yadav and edged it behind.
Australia have now gone 12 opening stands in England without passing 20, and while Khawaja did not open in the 2019 Ashes he has struggled for runs in the country.
Despite the openers' blemishes, Labuschagne, whose pavilion snooze was rudely interrupted by Warner's dismissal, was able to get Australia to stumps not out on 41 after Steve Smith (34) and Travis Head (18) perished trying to take on Ravindra Jadeja.
Australia also have more headaches with the ball, albeit positive ones.
Boland's case for Ashes selection is becoming insurmountable, again being among the pick of the bowlers on Friday and finishing with 2-59.
After India resumed on 5-151, he picked up a wicket with the second ball of the day when he seamed one back in at KS Bharat's off and middle stumps.
He was unlucky not to have Shardul Thakur in the same over, when a ball went through a leaping Khawaja's outstretched fingertips at third slip.
Australia expect to have Josh Hazlewood back for the first Test at Edgbaston next Friday, creating a squeeze with the ball.
Khawaja's drop was one of three in the first session, after Cameron Green put down a regulation chance at gully and David Warner suffered a miscommunication with Alex Carey at first slip.
But Green made up for it after the break, taking a screamer to remove Ajinkya Rahane on 89 off Cummins when he flung his right arm out to snare a ball that had appeared to have passed him.
Cummins (3-83) was also denied another wicket through a no-ball when he trapped Thakur in front (51), after a similar let off for Rahane on Thursday evening.
