But when half-centurions Chris Rogers and Shane Watson fell in consecutive overs during the second session as Australia slipped from 115-1 to 115-3, Smith reined it in.
He started the 50th over on two runs from 31 deliveries.
The right-hander, fresh from man-of-the-match honours in his first test as captain, waited 12 overs before taking his first risk.
It paid off, Smith dancing down the wicket to offspinner Ravichandran Ashwin and lashing a boundary over the head of mid-off.
Shaun Marsh and debutant Joe Burns were dismissed in the final session after making starts, but Smith remained resolute alongside Brad Haddin, who finished 23 not out.
India had eight overs with the second new ball, but Smith and Haddin negotiated them in an unbeaten partnership worth 43 runs.
Smith remarked India were "whingeing and complaining among themselves" in his pre-match press conference.
It may have been the catalyst for a run-in with paceman Mohammed Shami, the pair swapping terse words after tea.
"A few stares and glares, even after this defensive shot. There's definitely something going on," Shane Warne said, calling the game for the Nine Network.
David Warner's hopes of niggling the tourists ended in the second over when he was dismissed for a duck.
It set the tone for a stop-start day as both sides struggled to take control of the contest.
India's fielding let the hosts off the hook far too often as fumbles relieved pressure on the batsmen.
