As it happened Australia v India Test match Day 1: India on top at 1-77 at stumps after bowling out Australia for 177; Head dropped from team

Nagpur: Australia’s vulnerabilities to spin on the subcontinent have already been exposed on India’s made-to-order pitch as the visitors’ quest for greatness began in alarming fashion on Thursday.

The metaphorical Mount Everest Pat Cummins’ men must scale just got that bit higher after their batting crumbled against the skill and wiles of a familiar foe, Ravindra Jadeja, who unravelled Australia with a five-wicket haul.

Privately, some players have felt a score of 30 or more would be good going on a pitch many accurately predicted would turn. Only four players – Marnus Labuschagne (49), Steve Smith (37), Peter Handscomb (31) and Alex Carey (36) – reached double figures in a disheartening start with the bat, albeit in demanding spin-friendly conditions.

After reaching 2-76 at lunch, Australia lost six wickets in a disastrous second session before being dismissed for 177, their lowest first-innings total since the 2018 Boxing Day Test when they were missing Smith and David Warner.

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Todd Murphy and Nathan Lyon have enough contrast to function effectively as a spin tandem in India, according to the man who had a significant hand in mentoring both.

Craig Howard, who has worked with Lyon at various points over the past decade, and first spotted Murphy bowling off-spin in country Victoria as a teenager, said the 22-year-old Nagpur debutant had been well-schooled in how to bowl in India.

So much so, Howard reckoned that Murphy’s appreciation for different seam positions and variations would make him a useful counterpoint to Lyon’s formidable stock ball and consistency.

Murphy edged out left-armer Ashton Agar for the second spin spot, the first time two frontline off-spinners have been chosen for Australia since Tim May and Peter Taylor in Pakistan in 1988 – or Gavin Robertson and Colin Miller, also in Pakistan, 10 years later.

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Sharma has been the player of the day for mine as his captaincy and decisions to review two key wickets were exceptional then his batting was heads and shoulders above everyone else who took strike today.

Pat Cummins and his men have to get their bowling plans and pressure points back to elite level as they were well off the pace in this evening’s session.

Murphy’s late wicket was a special moment, he and Lyon look promising if they get the right support.

But Australia has so much to do tomorrow, any hope of winning this Test has to come with a stack of wickets on day two.

Rahul is out and Todd Murphy is very happy with himself.

He managed to make a ball grip and turn with Rahul only able to paddle it back to him for an easy catch.

Rahul goes for 20 runs from 71 balls.

India are 1-76.

It has taken almost a full day of play but a batter has finally raised the bat on this bowler-friendly pitch.

Labuschagne got to 49 earlier before his innings ended.

Sharma has been on the front foot from the start and he followed his 50 with another boundary.

He is on 55 and India are 0-74 chasing Australia’s first-innings total of 177.

India continues to pick off the loose balls and otherwise keep Australia’s bowlers looking second-rate.

Sharma has progressed to 42 and Rahul is up to 16 after struggling to score early on.

Cummins, in particular, is facing some criticism for his choice of line and length with commentator Matthew Hayden wanting him to improve his line and stop giving India’s batters balls they can score from.

India are 0-59 with an hour or so left in today’s play.

Australia has off-spinners going at both ends and Lyon is starting to find his sweet spots 13 overs into this innings.

He forced Sharma into missing a ball earlier in the over and had another tossed-up delivery which lifted just over the bat-pad fielder.

Then Sharma charged him on the last ball of the over and hit him for six.

Sharma is on 38, India are 0-46.