Steve Smith wanted to do India slowly and that’s exactly what transpired as Australia took control of the Boxing Day Test on day two.

Smith’s remarkable run continued on Saturday, when the 25-year-old compiled a career-high 192 to essentially bat the tourists out of the MCG contest.

India were 1-108 at stumps in response to Australia’s total of 530, with Smith claiming a low catch at second slip to dismiss Shikhar Dhawan.

Half-centurion Murali Vijay showed some fight with the bat, but his teammates offered none in the two preceding sessions.

India’s fielding continued to be sloppy, while their bowling was worse than that dished up on day one.

Then Prime Minister Paul Keating famously remarked in 1992 that he wanted to do Opposition Leader John Hewson slowly.

“I want to see those ashen-faced performances. I want more of them,” Keating added.

Smith, who was on two from 31 deliveries on Boxing Day, confirmed his similar intentions in the third Test.

“That was our plan, to keep them out there for as long as possible,” Smith said.

“They’ve only got three quicks and the spinner … so the more tired they get, the more scoring opportunities we’ll have.

“If there were periods where we didn’t score too many runs, we knew we’d be able to catch up.”

The hosts did just that after starting day two on 5-259 with the game in the balance and Smith on 72.

Australia have one hand on the Border-Gavaskar trophy, given India need a win in Melbourne to keep the four-Test series alive.

That looks an unlikely outcome following Smith’s third century in this series, adding to the 133 he scored at the Gabba and 162no at Adelaide Oval earlier this month.

Support acts Brad Haddin, Mitchell Johnson and Ryan Harris were all thoroughly entertaining, especially Harris who belted his highest Test score of 74 from 88 balls.

But it was Smith who rocked the crowd of 51,566.

He initially picked off singles with ease, India captain MS Dhoni keeping the field back.

But when Ravichandran Ashwin trapped Harris lbw, it was Smith’s turn to swing freely and up the run-rate.

Smith danced down the wicket and lofted a six into the crowd off Ashwin to pass his highest Test score.

Reverse-sweeps and audacious cross-batted swipes followed from Smith, who destroyed India’s hopes of rolling Australia cheaply after having them 5-216 on day one.

“I was going to declare at tea, so we were just trying to get as many runs as we could before then,” he said.

“It was pretty fun … it was nice to be able to play a few shots.”

India failed to kick on after snapping the 110-run partnership between Haddin and Smith, mucking up a run-out opportunity when Johnson was on one with the score at 6-331.

But Ashwin hadn’t given up hope of a miraculous victory.

“We’ll make 650 and try to put them back in,” he said.