Indian pacers struck early after Australia won the toss and elected to bat first in the opening Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Nagpur on Thursday, but Marnus Labuschagne and Steve Smith got the visitors back on track, taking the score to 76/2 at lunch.
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Labuschagne was batting on 47 and Smith on 19 in an unbeaten partnerhip of 74 runs.
The visitors lost openers Usman Khawaja and David Warner very early.
Seamer Mohammed Siraj struck on his first ball to get Khawaja trapped lbw for one with a delivery that swung in to the left-hander, after the tourists won the toss and elected to bat first.
An appeal was turned down by the on-field umpire but India successfully reviewed the decision, much to the delight of coach Rahul Dravid, who pumped his fists in the pavilion.
Mohammed Shami soon raised the noise in the next over when the seamer bowled the left-handed Warner for one, coming around the wicket to send the off-stump cartwheeling.
Spin was introduced in the seventh over with left-arm orthodox Ravindra Jadeja coming into the attack after his return to the team from a career-threatening knee injury.
Labuschagne and Smith remained cautious in their approach as a few turning deliveries flew past their bats on the dry pitch.
Labuschagne, the world number one Test batsman, looked assured as he hit eight boundaries. Smith survived a dropped catch on six when Virat Kohli failed to grab a sharp chance at slip.
The match includes three debutants. Australia included off-spinner Todd Murphy in their eleven, while India awarded Test debuts to Suryakumar Yadav and wicketkeeper KS Bharat.
(With agency inputs)
