This article is more than 3 years old

This article is more than 3 years old

Matt Renshaw showed an unprecedented level of subcontinent experience beyond his years in Pune, where Australia reached 256-9 at stumps on day one of their first Test against India.



Renshaw and Mitchell Starc, who smashed a half-century in 47 balls, helped the tourists bat through the day on a genuine spinners’ paradise. Starc and Josh Hazlewood’s unbeaten final-wicket stand is already worth 51 runs.

Renshaw and Starc lead the way for Australia in Pune - as it happened Read more

Renshaw retired hurt on 36 because of a stomach bug in Thursday’s morning session, but returned to bat after the pre-tea dismissal of Steve Smith. The opener, having never set foot in India before arriving last week, was eventually out edging to Ravichandran Ashwin for 68 after facing 156 deliveries.

The 20-year-old’s knock was impressive on several fronts – not just because he overcame illness to become the youngest Australian to post a Test half-century in India. Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja, the world’s two best Test bowlers according to the ICC’s rankings, were turning the ball square on a cracking dust bowl likened to the “surface of Mars” by Shane Warne.

Renshaw’s teammates didn’t surrender in the sort of woeful fashion that had underlined a nine-Test losing streak in Asia, but equally none of them passed 40 apart from Starc. Smith, who won the toss and confirmed Australia had opted against picking a third spinner, survived 95 balls but was needlessly out for 27.

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Smith charged down the wicket and chipped a catch straight to opposing captain Virat Kohli at midwicket, gifting Ashwin the first of his two wickets. Peter Handscomb departed the previous over and it would have been a collapse of 3-0 if not for the Decision Review System, which saved Mitch Marsh from a second-ball duck.

Indian Paceman Umesh Yadav, who didn’t bowl until the 28th over, removed David Warner with his second ball and finished as India’s leading-wicket taker with four scalps.