Welcome to the traditional Boxing Day 1st Test, 1st Day coverage from the MCG which is hosting its 100th Test in front of a 45,000 strong crowd which is expected to double as the day progresses as people recover from Christmas. It's one of the world's greatest sporting occasions, the sun is shining and the place looks marvellous.
The Toss:
Australia won the toss and Ricky Ponting unsurprisingly elected to bat first as the MCG pitch is expected to have early life and flatten out over the remainder of the Test in forecast hot temperatures. There has been lots of sun on the pitch, but it still contains some moisture. It should increasingly take spin as the match proceeds.
Team India:
India head into the Boxing Day Test with two fast bowlers and two spinners, with offspinner Harbhajan Singh to bowl in tandem with skipper Anil Kumble's legspin.
India’s bowling attack with left-armers Zaheer Khan and RP Singh, while paceman Ishant Sharma was named 12th man.
Having won the man-of-the-series against Pakistan earlier in the month, Sourav Ganguly today joins an elite club of players to have played 100 cricket test matches. He is awarded a special plaque before the match starts.
Squad: W Jaffer, R Dravid, VVS Laxman, SR Tendulkar, SC Ganguly, Yuvraj Singh, MS Dhoni, A Kumble, Harbhajan Singh, Z Khan, RP Singh. 12th man - Ishant Sharma.
Team Australia:
The Australians left fast bowler Shaun Tait out of the eleven, going into the first match of the four-Test series with three quicks and wrist-spinner Brad Hogg.
PA Jaques, ML Hayden, RT Ponting (Captain), MEK Hussey, MJ Clarke, A Symonds, AC Gilchrist, GB Hogg, B Lee, MG Johnson, SR Clark. 12th man - Shaun Tait.
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