New Delhi, Mar 23 (DHNS): In their victory-less tour of India, the toss had been the only winning factor for the Australians.

For the fourth successive time in the series, they found the spin of coin in their favour, this day through their newly appointed captain Shane Watson. In terms of performance, too, they offered few surprises; the spin bowling once again leaving them dazed in a bundle of shrinking timidity.

As Michael Clarke’s back prevented him to take the field for the first time in his career, Watson completed a rollercoaster week from being dropped in the last Test to becoming a father and then returning to lead Australia as its 44th captain.

Including Watson, Australia made five changes to the team that lost the third Test. Brad Haddin replaced Matt Wade, Mitchell Johnson filled in for the injured Mitchell Starc, Xavier Doherty made way for James Pattinson and Glenn Maxwell walked in for Moises Henriques. For India, Ajinkya Rahane's debut in place of Shikhar Dhawan was the only talking point.

For Australia, it brought little reprieve though. The baggy greens ended the day at 231/8 with Peter Siddle (47 batting) and James Pattinson (11 batting) showing the resolve missing from the top order batsmen. Ravichandran Ashwin (4/40) was the most successful bowler for India with Ishant Sharma thrilling with his medium pace with the new ball.

The track at the Kotla could never be the cushion for a side already struggling with confidence. The big cracks even before the start of the match looked menacingly at the visitors. And true to its nature, the wicket remained two-paced throughout. The conditions were not the easiest to bat and Australia’s attempt to score quick runs fell flat. Local boy Ishant Sharma (14-3-35-2) prospered in familiar conditions.

Sharing the new ball with Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Ishant, sharp and quick, got result in his first over. David Warner, flashed at the away going delivery to get a thick edge that went sailing to Virat Kohli in the slips for a four-ball duck.

Phil Hughes (45), post his fighting 69 in Mohali, was at his fluent best. Showing excellent footwork and adaptability to the surface, he hit three cracking boundaries in Kumar’s over to race to 21 off 17 balls. His counter-attacking innings was well supported at the other end by Ed Cowan, who was slow but dogged.

But long, drab spells of restrained action soon followed. Ishant was incisive in his first spell and kept up the tempo on his return. One of his deliveries rose viciously to hit the helmet of Hughes, who shrugged it off with a smile. Two deliveries later, the smile changed into frown, as he played on. Australia took lunch at 94/2 and India returned with a certain epiphany.

It was soon time for the spinners to thrive. They did so by taking five wickets in the second session. Cowan’s doughty innings met a soft end when he misread the line of Ashwin’s delivery, to be bowled round his legs for the second time in three Tests.

Watson, on his part, couldn’t follow the elementary. After surviving a heart-stopping stumping chance, he was eventually dismissed in the same fashion. Mathew Wade and Glenn Maxwell followed him in quick time and Mitchell Johnson underlined Australia’s struggle with his dismissal, shouldering arms to Ashwin’s carrom ball.

Like the way in the past matches, the tail continued to wag on the Indian face, first anchored by Steven Smith and later Siddle. Like the past, this match, too, bears strong undercurrents of a mediocre contest. And once again India could smell win on the opening day.

score board

AUSTRALIA (I Innings):
Cowan b Ashwin    38
(135m, 99b, 7x4)
Warner c Kohli b Ishant    0
(6m, 4b)
Hughes b Ishant    45
(82m, 59b, 10x4).
Watson st Dhoni b Jadeja    17
(63m, 56b, 3x4)
Smith c Rahane b Ashwin    46
(152m, 145b, 3x4, 2x6)
Wade c Vijay b Ashwin    2
(7m, 5b)
Maxwell c Ishant b Jadeja    10
(14m, 16b, 1x4, 1x6)
Johnson b Ashwin    3
(24m, 22b)
Siddle (batting)    47
(158m, 125b, 4x4)
Pattinson (batting)     11
(71m, 57b, 1x4)
Extras (B-5, LB-7)    12
Total (for 8 wkts, 98 overs)    231

Fall of wickets: 1-4 (Warner), 2-71 (Hughes), 3-106 (Cowan), 4-115 (Watson), 5-117 (Wade), 6-129 (Maxwell), 7-136 (Johnson), 8-189 (Smith).

Bowling: Bhuvneshwar Kumar 9-1-43-0, Ishant Sharma 14-3-35-2, Ravichandran Ashwin 30-17-40-4, Pragyan Ojha 23-6-67-0, Ravindra Jadeja 22-6-34-2.