Aus v India

Follow along for all the major moments and reactions as India and Australia begin the first Test in Nagpur.

Matthew Renshaw was impressive as a 20-year-old on his first tour of India six years ago, so he knows what local conditions will be like. He is in career-best form and batted with confidence and authority at home, where he is averaging 73.5 in that period. That knock, a 72, was in his debut Test against Pakistan in Dubai. I’ve had a bit of time to make a bit of sense of Travis Head’s shock axing. In seven games, he has just 213 runs at 21.3 for one half-century. Khawaja, 26, walks out of the room in a daze. Labuschagne has been particularly impressive with his sound defence and fluent strokeplay. Head’s numbers in Asia are mediocre. Australia are 2-29 with Smith on six and Labuschagne on 15. He beat the bat to start this over and beat the keeper at the same time with the ball going for byes. Here is the case against the decision. Australia are 2-35 with Smith on six and Labuschagne on 19.

Axar Patel has been robbed of a prized Test scalp as Virat Kohli sensationally drops Steve Smith at first slip. Driving hard at a flighted half-volley outside ...

David Warner is batting right-handed to left-arm finger-spin in the nets. [#IndvAus] [February 9, 2023] Two off-spinners together for Australia for the first time in decades— Bharat Sundaresan (@beastieboy07) Todd Murphy marking his run-up in Nagpur. Can’t be the lefty issue as Renshaw is in. ABC’s Daniel Garb wrote: “The only plausible reason for Head’s omission must be a concern about his ability against spin. [#INDvAUS] [pic.twitter.com/ebJIpGRrrq] [February 9, 2023] AAP’s Scott Bailey wrote: “Massive call by Australia to drop Travis Head. [#INDvAUS] [February 9, 2023] [#INDvAUS] [pic.twitter.com/648ThHCoBP] [February 9, 2023] The hosts will go in as favourites. [February 9, 2023]

In the first part of a three-part series on foxsports.com.au, Australia legends Adam Gilchrist and Jason Gillespie reflect on the first Test of the 2004 ...

“Rather than getting caught up in my own uncertainty or doubt on how I was going to play.” Gillespie and co. [Green the latest Aussie loss as India delivers four-spinner ‘prepare turners’ warning](https://www.foxsports.com.au/cricket/australia/cricket-news-2023-nagpur-pitch-australia-could-confront-three-or-four-spinners-in-first-test-in-india-latest-inspection/news-story/f3ab8d68c4e660ffbdcdd56eb320b556) [3-1 AUSTRALIA? “Everyone had a lot of trust and faith and belief in each other, and belief in what our strategy and plans were, and just going out there and getting the job done.” “I dived into it actually and it turned out to be a really valuable - not distraction – but a valuable opportunity for me to just focus on the bigger picture,” he said. While the plan with the ball was to be disciplined and patient, the Australians would need to be more proactive with the bat, otherwise they would be a sitting duck for Harbhajan or Anil Kumble. “What we felt was a good option was to maybe attack the stumps more,” Gillespie said, “which in turn bowls to the India batters’ strengths. The Australians were armed with a new bowling game plan, but first had to set the tone with the bat having won the toss for the first Test in Bengaluru. “I speak from a bowling point of view, we learnt that you couldn’t bowl like you bowl in Australia on the subcontinent, which we tried to do in ’01.” Sure enough, Gilchrist was elevated to the top role and tasked with the massive assignment of plotting an Australian Test series win in India. In the first part of a three-part series on foxsports.com.au, Australia legends Adam Gilchrist and Jason Gillespie reflect on the first Test of the 2004 Border-Gavaskar Series. Earlier – and in many ways, this remains the case – the holy grail was winning a big away Test series, with India being the toughest place to tour.

13th over: Australia 29-2 (Smith 6, Labuschagne 14) Siraj gets a spell and Shami returns. Australians will recall the veteran India quick from the 2015 ...

“Sky” has become a people’s hero with his six-hitting in the white ball formats and after 79 first-class matches he will finally gets to pull on the Test shirt for India at the ripe old age of 32. That was a big toss to win and Pat Cummins’ run of luck with the coin has continued. There was much talk in the lead up to this series about Head’s disappointing record on the subcontinent and his plan to combat it with the all-out aggression so successful in the home summer. 3rd over: Australia 6-2 (Smith 0, Labuschagne 0) Even two wickets down after three overs, the names Smith and Labuschagne inspire confidence. His first ball of the series is wide and skids low. He pulls his head in on the last and lets it drop at his feet. He wants more of a look at the leftie and a single is sufficient from this 10th over. However Smith swipes at the fifth ball and pulls it just short of a fielder. 15th over: Australia 33-2 (Smith 6, Labuschagne 19) Shami returns and so does the Australian stalemate. 18th over: Australia 44-2 (Smith 10, Labuschagne 24) Here comes Patel, a slower action to Jadeja but all the venom comes from that final flick of the wrists. 11th over: Australia 27-2 (Smith 6, Labuschagne 14) Siraj steams in for a fifth over, this one to Labuschagne who has now faced twice as many balls as Smith. Australia have broken the deadlock now and the pace is quickening.