Half-centuries from Matt Renshaw and Mitchell Starc frustated India as Australia closed day one 256-9 at the Mahrashtra Cricket Association Stadium, Pune.

On a dry surface, the visitors elected to bat after winning the toss and opening pair Matt Renshaw and David Warner got them off to a good start, adding 82 runs for the first wicket.

Warner was bowled by Umesh Yadav for 38 and was followed into the dressing room by Renshaw who was suffering from a stomach bug.

Steve Smith, Shaun Marsh and Peter Handscomb got into double digits but weren’t able to push on and score big.

Renshaw would return and notch up his second Test half-century, showing great skill and temperament in his first Test innings in India.

A lower order collapse, though, saw Australia reduced to 205-9 but some big hitting from Mitchell Starc thwarted India’s hopes of bowling out the Aussies on day one.

Starc was unbeaten on 57 at the end of day’s play, having added 51 runs for the last wicket along with Josh Hazlewood who is batting on one.

Although all the talk that the wicket would be dominated by spin bowling, it was fast bowler Umesh Yadav who was the most impressive bowler for the hosts in picking up figures of 4-32.

BRIEF SCORES

Australia 256-9 [Renshaw 68, Starc 57*, Umesh 4-32, Ashwin 2-59, Jadeja 2-74] vs India.