STEVE Smith has won what could prove the most important toss of his career, with Australia to bat first on a hellishly dry pitch in Pune.
Selectors has stuck solid with their original plan to back a pace heavy gameplan, with Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc to spearhead the attack.
However, Test great Shane Warne forecast that the toss would be crucial to the first Test, with the pitch as dry as he’d ever seen in the subcontinent before a ball is bowled.
Warne believes the Pune pitch brings Australia into the Test in a big way.
“I’ve never seen a pitch as dry as this before a ball is bowled,” said Warne on Star Sports.
“I think they might have pushed it too far.
“The toss is going to be crucial. I’d bat first and try and post a big score.
“We know India like to prepare these pitches that turn, but if they turn too much suddenly it becomes even for both sides.
“For me, they might have just pushed it that bit too far … both sides are going to be pretty even.”
David Warner and Matt Renshaw have huge responsibility opening the batting, with Steve Smith to shoulder lynchpin responsibilities at No.3.
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Selectors were giving serious thought to throwing their pre-tour discussions out the window after being shocked by a pitch that looks as though it could take extreme turn from day one.
But in the end Australia has decided to rely on reverse swing rather than turn to do the business against India in the first Test at Pune.
Hazlewood, Starc and all-rounder Mitchell Marsh will be vital in trying to make the ball move in the early overs.
Nathan Lyon and Steve O’Keefe will take responsibility for Australia’s spin plans, with captain Steve Smith warming up with some leggies before play and willing to bowl if required in the heat of battle.
“It’s very dry, I don’t think it will bounce a great deal, it will keep low, take spin from ball one,” Smith said.
“Hopefully we can post a good first-up total.
“It looks a bit different to the T20 games we play here. The boys are excited about this challenge, we have to adapt to the challenge here and hopefully we can play some good cricket first up this morning.
“Preparation has been great. The boys have prepared really well. We’ve done everything right.
“Now it’s about the mindset and going out there and executing our sills under pressure.”
In the end selectors have showed good resolve to stick to their original gut instincts and back Hazlewood, who is one of the premier bowlers in world cricket.
Ashton Agar came close to selection but a chat with National Selector Trevor Hohns after training yesterday indicated that he had been told almost, but not quite.
Marsh was always going to be instilled as Australia’s all-rounder, with selectors buoyed by his batting in Sri Lanka last year and in the recent tour match in Mumbai.
TEAMS
Australia: David Warner, Matt Renshaw, Steve Smith (capt), Shaun Marsh, Peter Handscomb, Mitchell Marsh, Matthew Wade, Mitchell Starc, Steve O’Keefe, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood.
India: KL Rahul, Muari Vijay, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli (capt), Ajinkya Rahane, Wriddhiman Saha, Ravi Ashwin, Jayant Yadav, Ravindra Jadeja, Umesh Yadav, Ishant Sharma.
Originally published as Live: Warner, Renshaw take up fight against spin
