The number one and two-ranked Test teams, India and Australia face each other in the first Test of a four-match series at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune starting on Thursday. Join The Roar for live scores & blog of the 1st Test from 3pm (AEDT).
Steve Smith’s Australia have the toughest assignment currently in world cricket ahead – taking on India in their home country. What’s more, it is a tour that has not traditionally brought the Australians much success in recent times.
The tourists have failed to win so much as a single Test in India since 2004-05, which was also the last time that they won a series there, triumphing 2-1 in a four-match series. Since then the Australians have been beaten 2008/09 0-2, 2010/11 0-2 and 2012/13 0-4, the latter two series being whitewashes.
On Australia’s most recent visit to Asia for a Test series, they were whitewashed in Sri Lanka, being completely undone by the home side’s spin attack.
India have reached the pinnacle of the Test rankings on the back of a long run of success, that has seen them unbeaten in Tests since their tour to Sri Lanka back in 2015, and even then they won the series 2-1. India’s last series defeat was in the season 2014-15 when they went to Australia and were beaten 0-2.
India will once more rely heavily on their captain Virat Kohli, who has been in stunning form since assuming the captaincy of the Test side, scoring nearly 1500 runs in his last 13 matches at an average of over 81.
There are still some questions about his leadership, as he hasn’t yet been truly put under pressure, as much of India’s recent run of success has been on home soil where they are so dominant.
Australia will hope that their leading fast bowler, Mitchell Starc, can produce the sort of form that he showed in the losing series in Sri Lanka, when he claimed 24 victims in the three Tests, and was the tourist’s most threatening weapon.
If he can get his reverse swing working, he might just conceivably keep the visitors in the hunt for a Test win, if not a series success.
The Pune surface has been deemed to have some bounce for the fast bowlers by the curator, but ask an Aussie player and he will laugh it off and whisper at you: “It’s going to turn from day one.”
Whatever the case is, India will start favourites to win on the Pune ground’s Test debut and for Australia to overturn the odds, they will need to bat, bowl and field well over a substantial period of time. Be sure to join The Roar for live blog of this first Test from 3pm (AEDT) and don’t forget to add your own comments in the section below.
Chris Love
Roar Guru
How's that prediction going now Nostradamus?
Matthew H
Guest
The pitch looks tame when the ball is new. Both the 1/2 and 10/11 partnerships suggested this. Will Australia manipulate the ball and get the same reverse swing and ripping turn? I highly doubt it. I couldn't believe the Aussies weren't continually doing up shoelaces, calling for new gloves, pestering the umpire about the ball etc. Unless we play the game, we can't win the game.
Blackfish
Roar Rookie
It might be a 250 pitch for the Aussies but its probably a 500 pitch for the Indians. India does not have the failed batting techniques of both Marsh's, Warner and Hanscomb. The pitch looked quite easy to play late in the day, so lets see today.
Red Kev
Roar Guru
Ronan O'Connell still peddling the tripe that "Asian" wickets are all the same.
Don Freo
Guest
Is it disadvantageous to have 4 or 5?
Shaun
Guest
I would be so dark if i was Starc or Hazlewood! Those boys are top bowlers who should be able to focus on staying fresh and primed for their innings, but nope, they have to carry the muppets in the top and middle order on their shoulders.
Tapeshwer Singh
Roar Rookie
well manjrekar is not someone you quote on anything,but sure why not .It ll all come around when India comes to bat tomorrow and that is the only way you can concclude what this pitch is and what it is not. Fact of the matter is Australia has had the best of conditions to bat and should have no excuses now
DingoGray
Roar Guru
When does the Marsh Farce end? Great player of spin? Well what happened last night? They both looked terrible at best! Mitch Marsh gets any type of score in lower standard cricket and all of sudden he's pitch forked in..... Then as usual at the top standard is found wanting. Maxwell aggression, just like the way Starc batted would of been bloody handy yesterday...... But no we get the Marsh Farce! Mitch should only play again this series if one of Starc or Hazelwood go down.
DLKN
Guest
By far the biggest takeaway from that day's play is that in Matt Renshaw, Australia has a player of genuine substance. Perhaps Renshaw will now be allowed a reasonable tenure in the side, including the odd failure, before people start to contemplate leaving him out (like his coach, for starters).
DingoGray
Roar Guru
I think they are referring to Wade & Starc. Interested to see who you think the other one is?
DingoGray
Roar Guru
The actual all-rounder of the team.
Tana Mir
Roar Rookie
"I don’t know why people think this is a minefield" I'll quote Manjrekar, after inspecting the wicket and stating that it will turn from ball 1 he said "this wicket is a bit extreme" I might add, Renshaw demonstrated, with the right technique batsmen can score on it regardless. So excited to see Renshaw play, what a GEM!
Tapeshwer Singh
Roar Rookie
Some posters in the comment section sure seem thrilled with this 250. I don't know why people think this is a minefield ,just wait for 2 more days ,cause thats how long aussies will be in the field when India makes 500.People here are grossly misreading the pitch and the conditions,just because aussie batsmen are useless on anything but a concrete road. on a side note,matt renshaw looks like a great prospect, also Staarc applied a much more useful approach to batting on this pitch than some of the main batsmen and results are there for everyone.
Tana Mir
Roar Rookie
Alternative facts, in this game: 1. Marsh brothers have outscored, both, Maxi and Khawaja 2. Wade, so far, has dropped zero chances than Nevill and scored more runs than Nevill.
Matthew H
Guest
OK, so in AUS this summer against SA the selectors rolled out a team with Shaun Marsh, Mitchell Marsh, Adam Voges, Peter Nevill and a dodgy fourth bowling option and got rolled. The selectors were dumped, as were the Marsh boys, the keeper and the floating 4th bowler. Australia then win several tests. Now we are in India at the start of the tour and the selectors have rolled out a team that looks a lot like that team picked for the first test against SA.... dear oh dear. All the desperados suggesting this pitch is a 200 pitch - we'll see. I assume you are commenting from Pune having just played a match on the ground.... but I highly doubt it. Shaun Marsh is the best player of spin in the country... just look at his stats everyone yelled. I assume Handscomb will now be dropped as he is clearly not able to play in India, just like Kawhaja apparently. I really hope the Aussies can miracle something here, but they looked completely lost yesterday. Aside from Starc and Hazlewood the team looked like little boys playing against men. I used to make fun of Indian cricket, SS v Gray Nicholls etc but just look now. Look closely.
Rob JM
Guest
On this pitch I think we are well ahead. Spin spitting off the wicket and reverse swing from the 10th over. How many did India make against SA on these wickets against the spin of dean Elgar, 200!
Rob JM
Guest
200 is par on this pitch. We will still need 150 more by the end of the second innings but india will be under the pump against Starc, Hazlewood and the best spin attack they have faced in a few years. They are going to have to earn their no 1 ranking.
Rob JM
Guest
Khawaja would not have made double figures on that pitch.
Rob JM
Guest
Look at the South Africa series, India only scored 400 runs across both innings of two tests where the best spinner they faced was Elgar. They still won easily. 250+ is very good although we will need more runs in the second innings.
Zozza
Guest
@brent elms "we have got a chance now on this pitch, if it was a flatty then it would have been an indian win or a possibility of a draw but now result is likely in 4 days" Is this a Friday Funny? You are one cocky ocker if you think you are going to beat India in four days, If India rack up a 150 odd lead when they bat in first innings, then goodnight nurse. But hey, live in hope.