David Warner and Chris Rogers put on their most productive opening stand as Australia powered to 2-242 at tea on day one of the fourth Test against India.

Warner and Rogers shared a 200-run partnership at the SCG on Tuesday, hammering home the hosts’ advantage after Steve Smith won the toss.

Warner lashed 16 boundaries in an emotional century, feasting on anything short and wide before popping up a catch on 101.

Warner made a poignant tribute to Phillip Hughes upon reaching 63 not out shortly before lunch, removing his helmet and kissing the pitch where his close friend was felled by a bouncer while on the same score.

Rogers fell five runs short of his first Test ton this summer, chopping on a ball from Mohammed Shami.

Both Warner and Rogers departed in the space of seven minutes during the middle session as Australia went from 0-200 to 2-204.

India then sloppily allowed Shane Watson to get off the mark with yet another misfield.

The tourists managed to slow the run-rate after the two breakthroughs, but Watson (10no) and Smith (28no) were rarely troubled.

India relinquished the Border-Gavaskar trophy in Melbourne, where a draw gave Australia an unassailable 2-0 lead in the four-Test series.

Pride was the only thing on the line in Sydney – and India showed little.

The hosts raced to 0-39 after five overs, Umesh Yadav’s opening spell ending after his two overs went for 18 runs.

Yadav’s replacement Shami was far more threatening, beating Warner’s bat with his first delivery and finding a thick edge in the same over that flew between slips and gully.

Shami produced the only chance of the morning session in his following over, but KL Rahul put down a regulation catch at second slip when Rogers was on 19.

Poor fielding, an issue all summer for India, continued to dog the tourists.

Rahul, who made an underwhelming debut at the MCG, was fielding at point when Warner steered a ball in his direction on 62.

Rahul was late to move and didn’t get to the leather in time.

Offspinner Ravichandran Ashwin was the pick of India’s bowlers and captured the scalp of Warner in the 45th over, with Murali Vijay claiming the catch at gully.

Rogers showed exquisite timing throughout his knock, but it departed him when a century beckoned.

The opening partnership was 34 runs short of the highest first-wicket stand in an SCG Test, which Bob Barber and Geoff Boycott put on in 1966.