Virat Kohli top scored with 74 as India ended the hard-fought opening day of the four-match Test series at 233/6 in on Thursday.
Australia struck in the first over as Mitchell Starc dismissed Prithvi Shaw after India won the toss and elected to bat in the series opener.
While Australia tested the duo of Cheteshwar Pujara and Mayank Agarwal, the two added 30 runs together before Pat Cummins broke through Agarwal’s defence to give Australia their second wicket in the first session.
Indian skipper Virat Kohli joined Pujara in the middle following Agarwal’s fall.
India resumed the second session at 41/2, needing a solid partnership and Kohli and Pujara did just that. The two completed a fighting fifty-run stand in the 46th over as India moved past 80, with both the batsmen moving into the 30s.
However, right after India brought up their hundred, the Pujara-Kohli partnership was broken as Nathan Lyon ended Pujara’s resolute 160-ball 43-run stay in the middle.
Ajinkya Rahane joined Kohli following Pujara’s dismissal. Kohli brought up his 23rd half-century in Test cricket in the 61st over. The pair of the captain and vice-captain completed a fifty-run stand in the 68th over, helping India cross the 150-run mark.
The two continued to look solid as India approached 180. However, a mix-up in the middle gave Australia their fourth wicket as Kohli got out after scoring a fine 74.
The new ball was made available in the 81st over and Starc struck with it straightway, trapping Rahane before the wicket for 42. Three overs later, Josh Hazlewood got Hanuma Vihari out LBW.
R Ashwin and Wriddhiman Saha made sure India did not lose any more wickets before stumps and took the side to 233/6.
Brief Scores: India 233/6 (Virat Kohli 74, Cheteshwar Pujara 43, Ajinkya Rahane 42; Mitchell Starc 2/49) vs Australia
