Smith, Maxwell blunt India's charge

Tea: Australia 194 for 4 (Smith 80*, Maxwell 19*) v India
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Australia’s captain Steven Smith passed 5000 Test runs as the shepherded the tourists to 194 for 4 against India by the time tea was taken on the opening day in Ranchi. On the best pitch of the series, Smith will need continuing support from a subdued Glenn Maxwell in order to build a worthwhile first-innings total after winning the toss.

Smith’s concentration and discipline made for a contrast to some of the more wasteful dismissals seen earlier in the day, as the Australian top order failed to make the most of their starts. Warner and Renshaw will be particularly frustrated to have wasted starts on a surface that played far better than widely predicted.

Peter Handscomb also got established at the crease before being defeated by a fine inswinging yorker from Umesh Yadav, the most threatening member of India’s bowling attack. Maxwell, resuming his Test career after a break of almost three years, showed a promising level of self-control to accompany Smith to the interval of a session that took place largely without Virat Kohli, who left the field for treatment after landing heavily on his right shoulder when trying to stop a boundary.

While Umesh bowled a quality spell of reverse swing for the hosts and Ishant Sharma had a couple of concerted lbw appeals denied, R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja found far less assistance than they had seen in Pune and Bengaluru. Virat Kohli conceded he had lost a key toss before play began, and that seemed more so as Renshaw and Warner rattled to 50 in less than 10 overs by taking advantage of the pitch’s even pace and a scorchingly fast outfield.

Jadeja erred on the full side to Warner, but a full toss found the batsman in two minds about hitting square or straight, and the resultant return catch maintained his mediocre overseas record. Renshaw had been finding gaps either side of the wicket and looked in full control, so it was a surprise when he fiddled in undisciplined fashion at Umesh and edged to Kohli at first slip. Umesh had created uncertainty by gaining some movement.

Shaun Marsh was unable to get established, well caught at short leg by Cheteshwar Pujara off bat and pad, the decision made after India’s successful DRS referral against Ian Gould’s initial not-out verdict. Handscomb’s cover drive off his first ball to the fence underlined the improved batting conditions.

Smith edged one reversing ball from Umesh to the fine leg boundary between his pads, shortly before lunch, but was otherwise certain in his methods and safe in his defence as Kohli rotated his bowlers. Handscomb also looked capable of going on to something substantial, but for the fifth time in as many innings this series he was dismissed at a frustrating juncture, unable to get his bat to a Umesh yorker that swerved back sharply to strike him in front of the stumps.

Maxwell’s likely approach had seemed a mystery to even his team-mates before this match, but he quickly showed an impressive level of composure to build his innings in Smith’s slipstream while taking few risks. His only moment of nervousness came from the first ball of an Ishant spell that swung back into his pads, but India’s decision referral was waved off when replays showed the bowler had overstepped.

Australia had gambled on Pat Cummins as the replacement for the injured Mitchell Starc, handing the New South Wales fast bowler a first Test appearance since his memorable debut against South Africa in Johannesburg in 2011. India recalled M Vijay after he missed the Bengaluru match due to a shoulder injury, and retained Karun Nair rather than recalling the offspin of Jayant Yadav.

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Source: ESPN Crickinfo