Melbourne: Steve Smith played another captain's knock and Chris Rogers and Shane Watson hit fifties as Australia shared the opening day of the third Test with India in Melbourne on Friday.

Before a huge Boxing Day crowd of almost 70,000, Smith joined teammate David Warner in reaching 1,000 Test runs for the calendar year with his unbeaten 72. At the close, Australia were 259 for five after winning the toss with Brad Haddin seeking a confidence-boosting innings as the other not out batsman on 23.