Australia fast bowler Glenn McGrath put his performance in the first Test against India down to a new pair of shoes.

McGrath, back in the side after a long injury lay-off, grabbed four wickets for 55 runs as India were dismissed for 246 on Friday to trail Australia's first innings total by 228 runs.

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The 34-year-old had ankle surgery last year and only returned to the Test side in June for the home series against Sri Lanka.

McGrath struggled to regain his pace, raising doubts he would survive on the flat sub-continent pitches, until he borrowed his teammate Shane Watson's shoes.

"I swapped my boots over to a pair that weighed half as much," McGrath told reporters.

"I felt a lot lighter on my feet, I was going through the crease a lot better, and it gave me a lot more energy," added the pace bowler, who is the fourth highest Test wicket-taker in history with 444.

McGrath's old shoes weighed around one kilogram each, while Watson's are half as heavy.

A revitalised McGrath took the wickets of Aakash Chopra and ICC Player of the Year Rahul Dravid in his first two overs on Thursday.

"To knock a batsman of the calibre of Rahul Dravid for duck was a pretty big moment for us," he said.

McGrath added Australia, who opted against the follow-on, would aim to set a target of around 500 and give their bowlers over four sessions to dismiss India. They were 127 for four at the close.

"The pitch is only going to get tougher to bat on and tough to score runs," he said.