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After a strong bowling performance, India need their batsmen to cash in on day two as they attempt to level the Test series with Australia.
India quick Jaspirt Bumrah says maintaining a positive mindset is the key to the visitors cashing in on a strong start to the second Test as they seek to level the Border-Gavaskar series.
After slumping to a crushing defeat in Adelaide, India took honours at the MCG on Boxing Day as they bowled out Australia for 195.
Bumrah (4-56) and Ravichandran Ashwin (3-53) did most of the damage before debutant Shubman Gill (28 not out) survived a dropped catch in the slips to steer India to 1-36 at stumps.
It leaves India well placed to kick on and build a lead on day two, however, Bumrah said the visitors did not want to get ahead of themselves.
"We don't want to be conservative in our mindset," Bumrah said.
"We are trying to be positive and control the controllables.
"We're not being reckless but being confident and playing with a lot of confidence, and that is (how we will) go forward now."
Offspinner Ashwin shouldered the heaviest workload with the ball as Bumrah combined with fellow quicks Umesh Yadav and Mohammed Siraj to ask plenty of questions of the Australian batsmen.
Right-arm seamer Siraj (2-40) impressed on debut as one of four changes to the team from Adelaide as India's attack extracted plenty of life from the MCG deck, especially early when moisture played a role.
"We wanted to contribute and we knew we had new guys coming into the squad, so we were just trying to help each other and create pressure from all ends," Bumrah said.
"Ash bowled brilliantly and Siraj bowled really well, so we were very happy with the effort that was put in.
"That was our main goal, to help each other."
Gill will be at the crease with Cheteshwar Pujara (seven not out) when play resumes.