Adelaide - Travis Head matched his highest Test score but missed out on a century as Australia moved to within 15 runs of India after the first innings, leaving the opening Test in Adelaide on a knife-edge Saturday.

LIVE: Australia v India, 1st Test

Batting on his home ground, Head made 72 before nicking a Mohammed Shami delivery to wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant after adding 11 to his overnight 61.

It signalled a quick end to the Australian innings, with the last wicket rapidly following and lunch called as rain came down before India's batsmen could get to the crease.

Australia made 235, in reply to India's 250. They started the day at 191-7.

After two days of stifling hot conditions, a change rolled in Saturday and play began 45 minutes late in gloomy conditions, with the ground's lights on.

It only lasted 3.4 overs before the drizzle began again and the umpires called the players off after Mitchell Starc was caught behind by Pant, getting a thin edge to a Jasprit Bumrah delivery.

He added seven runs to his overnight eight.

Play resumed after an hour with Nathan Lyon accompanying Head, who looked on track to better his previous best Test score against Pakistan in October.

But he was enticed into prodding at a Shami ball and was out to deny him the chance of a maiden ton in his third Test.

Josh Hazlewood came to the crease but was gone first ball, again to the Shami-Pant combination, leaving Nathan Lyon unbeaten after a quick-fire 24, including a six.

For India, Ravichandran Ashwin finished with 3-57 and Jasprit Bumrah had 3-47.