Australia vs. India, 4th Test, Day 1: Highlights, Scorecard and Report

Australia’s top order gave their team a great foundation on Day 1 of the fourth and final Test against India at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Tuesday.

They reached 348-2 at stumps with David Warner scoring 101, his third century of the series.

He shared a 200-run opening partnership with Chris Rogers before Shane Watson and captain Steve Smith put on an unbroken 144-run stand for the third wicket.

			Runs	Minutes	Balls
Rogers		b Shami	95	180	160
Warner	c Vijay	b Ashwin	101	174	114
Watson	not out		61	173	132
Smith	not out		82	167	134
Extras		0nb 6w 0b 3lb	9
Bowler		Overs	Maidens	Runs	Wickets
B Kumar		20	2	67	0
U Yadav		16	1	97	0
Shami		16	2	58	1
Ashwin		28	5	88	1
Raina		10	2	35	0

The hosts, who won the toss and elected to bat, scored at a rapid rate in the opening session with openers Warner and Rogers putting on 50 in only 48 balls.

Rogers was dropped by Lokesh Rahul at second slip off Mohammed Shami on 19, and the Baggy Greens took advantage as they reached 123-0 at lunch.

India's bowlers continued to toil in the afternoon—on a hot day in New South Wales—and Warner brought up his 12th Test century, from just 108 balls, by pulling Shami to the boundary.

However, he had added just one more run to his total when he tried to play off-spinner Ravi Ashwin against the turn and the ball popped up to Murali Vijay at gully.

Six balls later and Rogers fell five runs short of his ton as he got a thick inside edge onto his stumps in attempting to hit Shami on the up.

However Watson and Smith maintained the momentum, adding 108 in the final session and bringing up their half-centuries from 99 and 67 balls, respectively.

New Australia skipper Smith outscored his team-mate and hit 10 boundaries to leave him on the cusp of a fourth century in as many games.

His team are on course to pass 500 for the fourth time in four first innings this series and got a helping hand from the penultimate ball of the day as Ashwin dropped Watson off Umesh Yadav.

Australia have already won the four-match series after victories in the first two Tests.