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LIVE Cricket Score India vs Australia 2016-17, 1st Test, Day 1: Starc fifty bolsters Australia

India Vs Australia LIVE Cricket Score, 1st Test, Day 1: Welcome to CricketCountry’s live blog session of Day One of the first Test between India and Australia at Maharashtra Cricket Association (MCA) Stadium in Pune.

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India-Australia play 1st Test at Pune © Getty Images

Hello and Welcome to CricketCountry’s live blog session of Day One of the first Test between India and Australia at Maharashtra Cricket Association (MCA) Stadium in Pune. I am Devarchit Varma and I will bring you the live updates from the much-awaited contest. The match marks Pune’s debut in Test cricket. On paper, it is the clash between the No.1 and No.2 ranked Test sides and by the end of the series, Australia have a chance to take back the No.1 spot, if they go on to win 3-0. With their respective ranks, this may sound a possibility but the reality is a stark contrast. Full Cricket  Scorecard: India vs Australia 1st Test at at Pune

India have not lost a game in the last 20 Tests they have played at home. Virat Kohli’s men are unbeaten since August 2015. Australia on the other hand have lost nine consecutive Tests in the subcontinent. The last time they arrived on Indian shores, the result was a 0-4 drubbing and this time around Indians with the momentum intact will look to do the same. Let alone winning the series, even toppling the Ravichandran Ashwin-Ravindra Jadeja hurdle to avert a whitewash sounds quite a task for the visitors.

In captain Steven Smith, his deputy David Warner and pacer Mitchell Starc, Australia have three amongst the best players in the world who have the ability to thrive under toughest of conditions. It will however come down to how the others support the three stars. Australia have pinned hopes on the disciplined Josh Hazlewood and the oldest member of the side — Shaun Marsh, a man familiar to Indian conditions because of his IPL exploits. Ironically, despite Marsh’s familiarity with the conditions, this will be his first Test in India.

On the other hand, the star-studded Indian side will look forward to continue the good work they have carried out this season. In the likes of Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane and Cheteshwar Pujara, the hosts have a formidable middle-order. Their strength also lies in their lower order that does not seem to end. Wriddhiman Saha, Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja and with Jayant Yadav at No.9, India probably have the best lower order, and this is bound to add to Australia’s frustration.

The MCA ground in Pune is all set to become the 25th Test venue in India and the track remains a matter of debate. While curator Pandurang Salgaoncar feels the pitch will have pace and bounce, Australia are of the view that the surface will be spinner-friendly. Both sides may go in with three spin bowlers.

Squads:

India: Virat Kohli (c), Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Abhinav Mukund, Karun Nair, Hardik Pandya, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, Lokesh Rahul, Wriddhiman Saha (wk), Ishant Sharma, Murali Vijay, Jayant Yadav, Umesh Yadav, Kuldeep Yadav

Australia: Steven Smith (c), David Warner, Ashton Agar, Jackson Bird, Peter Handscomb, Josh Hazlewood, Usman Khawaja, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Marsh, Shaun Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Steve O’Keefe, Matt Renshaw, Mitchell Starc, Mitchell Swepson, Matthew Wade (wk)

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