Australia vs India 1st Test, Day 1 As it Happened: Warner and Smith Impress, But Late Wickets Quell Surge

1.03 pm: That's all for today folks. Australia the dominant team on Day one in Adelaide, even if India did pull it back quite well towards the end. David Warner showed just why he is such a good, and seriously underrated Test, cricketer with an immense century. The knock was a hugely emotional one too for the southpaw, as was the entire day for the Australia team, who stood up really well under testing times following the recent death of their teammate Phil Hughes.

Steven Smith also played a brilliant innings, which he will look to carry forward on Day 2, with the only blemish in an otherwise satisfying day for the Aussies being the injury to skipper Michael Clarke. It does look like he will be unable to bat again, at least this innings, with what seemed like a serious back problem, something he has had to battle with pretty much his entire career.

For India, there were a few positives, with Ishant Sharma, and leg-spinner Karn Sharma in patches, impressing with the ball. Ishant, though, could not take enough wickets, with Varun Aaron, who struggled towards the end with his fitness, finishing with a couple to his name.

The three wickets with the new ball right at the end, however, will give India some encouragement.

The wicket had nothing in it for the bowlers, but India did well in stages to take six wickets, with that injury to Clarke probably meaning it is seven down for Australia.

Smith will be the key. Until tomorrow then!

Final bowling figures: Shami: 17.2-1-83-2. Aaron: 17-1-95-2. Ishant: 20-4-56-1. Karn: 23-1-89-1. Murali Vijay: 12-3-27-0.

1 pm: And that was the last ball of the day. It was all Australia, before those three wickets with the new ball just gave India some much-needed momentum. Australia finish day one of the first Test match on 354 for six in 89.2 overs. Smith batting on 72 (130b, 9x4).

12.59 pm: India are coming back aren't they. Brad Haddin gone for a duck, with the Aussie wicketkeeper tickling one down to Wriddhiman Saha to give Shami another wicket. Australia 354 for six.

12.49 pm: Wicket, Nathan Lyon. Shami gets his first wicket of the day, and it is the nightwatchman Lyon, who cannot stop the ball from creeping through to hit timber. Two wickets with the new ball now for India, leaving Australia on 352 for five in the 88^th over. Brad Haddin walks in.

12.34 pm: Wicket, Marsh Gone! Brilliant delivery from Varun Aaron. Gets the ball to rise up from nowhere and Marsh can only fend it to Kohli in the slips. The captain is pumped, finally a wicket for India with the new ball.

Australia 345 for four now, with that last partnership worth 84 runs. Marsh gone for a really nice 41 (87b, 5x4). Smith still batting on 68 with a little over five overs to go in the day.

12.28 pm: New ball not doing the trick at all. Smith and Marsh in easy-peasy mode. Australia 341 for three. Smith 64, Marsh 41.

12.19 pm: Ishant, India's best bowler today, just cannot pile that pressure on with the new ball in the first over as Smith picks him off for a couple of boundaries. Applause rings around the Adelaide Oval again as Smith reaches 63 – poignant that, with both Warner and Smith doing it today. Who will be next? Australia 336 for three.

12.12 pm IST: Australia in control on 326 for three in 80 overs. New ball the only hope for India as Kohli takes the red cherry with Ishant Sharma given first bite.

12.01 pm IST: Smith completes his half-century in the over, and the right-hander has hardly put a foot wrong, not getting too bothered by the manner in which he came in after Clarke's injury or with Warner's wicket. Marsh is looking pretty good at the other end as well, with the partnership crossing the 50-mark. Ominous signs for India and the new ball cannot come soon enough, Australia 320 for three in 76 overs, four overs to go for the new cherry. Smith 51, Marsh 33.

11.47 am: India just going through the motions really with Vijay bowling at one end. It looks like Kohli is waiting for the new ball to be available, which it will be in seven overs. Australia 307 for three in 73 overs.

11.36 am: Marsh growing in confidence as Karn Sharma and the rest of the India bowlers are unable to keep the pressure. That slight hitch following Warner's wicket is past and gone now, with Australia on a comfortable and could-only-get-better 302 for three in 70 overs. Smith 45, Marsh 22.

11.16 am: Smith has taken control of the innings now, with Marsh settling down. Australia 280 for three in 65 overs. Smith on 36 in 65, Marsh on 9 in 24.

11.02 am IST: Mitch Marsh survives the first couple of overs, even if he was almost caught at midwicket off Karn, who now seems like a more confident bowler. Australia 264 for three in 61 overs.

10.47 am: Wicket! Warner perishes in the deep. First Test wicket for Karn Sharma. The left-hander goes for a hoick over midwicket, but gets more air than distance with Ishant Sharma comfortably taking the catch at deep midwicket.

Warner goes after a delightful 145 (163b, 19x4). Australia 258 for three in 56.2 overs. Mitchell Marsh at the crease alongside Steven Smith.

10.33 am: A run out chance gone. Warner goes for a quick single after a dab to the offside, but is sent back. Unfortunately for India, Murali Vijay cannot gather cleanly and the chance disappears. A big opportunity to gain some momentum in the second session thrown away. Australia 240 for two in 51 overs.

10.30 am: Players are back on the field, Karn Sharma to bowl to Warner.

10.13 am: India with plenty of talking to do in this 20-minute break as the bowlers have just not been able to break through, or keep the runs in check. Ishant has again been the best bowler, but hardly good enough to cause problems for the marauding Aussie batsmen.

Ishant: 15-3-36-1. Aaron: 12-1-76-1. Shami: 12-0-71-0. Karn: 11-0-53-0. Not a great debut so far for Karn is it, even if he has not been helped by this flat as a pancake wicket.

10.11 am: Tea time folks! It's a pretty decent ODI score Australia are on at 238 for two in 50 overs, which just goes to show how easy batting has been and made to look on this wicket, with Warner leading from the front.

Warner serene and explosive (can you be both at the same time? He certainly can) on 131 in 140 balls (17x4), with Smith looking quite comfortable on 17, ending the session with a wonderful flick through the leg side.

Australia added 121 runs in this second session, without losing a single wicket, even if Captain Clarke was forced off retired hurt with a back injury after making 60.

10.03 am: Clarke played a sumptuous straight drive a while back, but Steven Smith goes one better with a delectable cover drive that you want to rewind and play again and again. Australia looking good, despite that skipper setback 226 for two in 48 overs. Warner 125, Smith 11.

9.55 am: Steven Smith off the mark with a boundary, a gift really short and wide and put away. Australia are looking to get over the loss of their captain through that unfortunate injury. Warner needs to do what he has done all day. Australia 214 for two in 46 overs.

9.40 am: Clarke is down again. It does not look like that hamstring injury which has brought him down of late, but the long standing back one. The Australia skipper cannot catch a break with injury at the moment, and just when he looked outstanding, that pesky back has come back to haunt him.

Clarke is getting treatment from the physio, with the problem clearly his back. Hopefully it can be sorted out soon and he can push through. The injury came about when he look to pull a short delivery from Ishant Sharma, with that wince clear.

Unfortunately, the back is gone, and Clarke, almost in tears, walks off on 60 not out from 84 balls. He really wanted that hundred for his "little brother." Really sad scenes this, Clarke is distraught.

Steven Smith comes in with Australia on 206 for two in the 44th over.

9.36 am: Partnership's over a hundred, score's over 200, with the pitch doing absolutely nothing, and getting lower and slower as the ball grows older. Warner (114, 118b, 16x4) is looking in control, not throwing his wicket away, while also making sure he shows aggression against the leg-spinner Karn Sharma. Clarke is his usual elegant self, and has eased to 59 from 81 balls. Australia 203 for two after 42 overs.

9.25 am: Luck is firmly camped on Australia's side at the moment, with edges either missing the stumps or falling where fielders are non-existent. Clarke takes advantage of that luck to get to his half-century, but the celebrations are muted. He wants that hundred. Australia 190 for two in 39 overs. Warner 107, Clarke 53.

9.11 am: And that is hundred for Warner. A delightful one it is, as the left-hander drives one to the offside to reach the magical three figures on 106 balls. Tears almost streaming down, Warner looks to the heavens after completing the century in ode to his teammate Phil Hughes. Gives a big hug to "Pup" his captain and another of Hughes' great friends. This one was undoubtedly for his fellow New South Welshman. Emotional hundred that, one he will remember for the rest of his life.

Warner will now look for the double hundred, and from what we have seen so far today, it looks almost inevitable.

9.08 am: A close call as India go on a huge appeal for a caught behind on Clarke off Aaron. Replays show the decision to give it not out by Marais Erasmus was right. Australia 170 for two in 36 overs. Warner one short of a hundred.

9 am: Warnerinching towards that hundred – five runs short. Australia untroubled at 162 for two in 34 overs.

8.35 am: Shot of the day so far from Clarke, brilliant straight drive for four. Australia cruising at 134 for two in 29 overs. Warner 83, Clarke 22. Partnership 46.

8.30 am: Solid over for Australia, 129 for two.

8.26 am: Couple of edges forClarke, but one falls short of slip and the other evades backward point. Australia, looking fairly comfortable, though. They just need Warner, who is 19 short of a century, on strike more. Australia124 for two in 27.

8.17 am: Relatively uneventful first over of the second session. Australia 114 for two after 25 overs.

8.12 am IST: Play is underway. Shami to start things off, like he did in the morning.

The India bowler will hope to better than he did in the first session, where he was pretty disappointing. Warner has been in boundary-hitting mode all day, and if India are to get the explosive left-hander out, now would be a good time.

7.33 am IST: It just shows how good a pitch this is that Clarke has settled down pretty easily, with Warner going his merry way as well, even finding time to smash a four straight past his Sunrisers Hyderabad teammate Karn Sharma.

Lunch it is! Australia in a strong position on 113 for two in 24 overs. Warner 77 in 73 (12x4), Clarke 8 in 17.

Play will resume at around 8.10 am IST. Australia have the better of the first session, even if India will take solace from the two wickets of Rogers and Watson.

Ishant Sharma the best bowler for India in the first session of day one of this first Test in Adelaide, with figures of 8-2-17-1. Aaron picked up the other wicket but was way too expensive going for 51 runs in his eight overs. Karn Sharma bowled three overs for 15, while Mohammed Shami was disappointing with figures of 5-0-30-0.

7.19 am: Karn still looking to find his groove. A few full tosses already from the leggie, and he just needs to settle down a bit, get that length right and he should be alright.

Clarke a little tentative early on, but get off the mark nicely and quickly races to five. Warner a little off the picture at the moment, not getting enough strike. India will certainly be happy with that. Australia 98 for two in 21 overs. Warner 64 in 60, Clarke 7 in 13.

7.13 am: Aaron finally gets something to go his way. A ball outside off stump, Watson tries to cut it, it's way too close for that, and only manages to edge it to Dhawan at second slip, who takes his second catch of the match. Watson out for 14 (33b, 3x4).

A wicket of Warner and India are golden. Michael Clarke, after an emotional past couple of weeks, walks out into the middle. Australia 88 for 2 in 19 overs. Warner 61 in 58.

The crowd stands up as Warner reaches 63, the final score of Phil Hughes. Great touch this from the Adelaide crowd, absolutely top stuff.

7.08 am: Wicket Watson!

7.05 am: Karn Sharma bowls for the first time in Test cricket in the 18^th over of the innings, decent one, gives two runs. Australia 88 for one.

6.55 am: For some reason, India refuse to bowl over the wicket to Warner. It is clearly a tactic that has been discussed in the dressing room. But the over the wicket stuff, without any movement, takes away that outside edge, which comes into play when you bowl over the wicket and allow the ball to naturally slant away from the left-hander.

Right now, batting for Warner looks easy-peasy. Australia 81/1 in 16 overs.

6.52 am: Varun Aaron at his awful best today morning, bowling one poor delivery after another. You never bowl short to Warner, Aaron, after getting smashed for a four through midwicket, refuses to learn that and allows Warner to pick off another short one to complete his half-century in just 46 balls.

Ishant again looking like the only bowler capable of taking even a sliver of a wicket at the moment. Might be time for the debutant Karn Sharma to come in. Australia 80/1 in 15 overs. Warner 54 in 47 (9x4). Watson 13 in 24.

6.32 am: An hour of cricket after Hughes' death and it is wonderful to watch, with Australia easing away on this belter of an Adelaide pitch.

Watson picks up another boundary, square driving one through the offside off Aaron, who needs to find his mojo quickly, or Kohli might just have only three bowling options to choose from. Australia 64 for one after 11 overs. Warner 42 from 34, Watson 9 from 12.

6.27 am: Watson off the mark with a nice flick through midwicket. Ishant looking for that early lbw, but just can't find the peach. Australia 60/1 after 10. Warner 42 from 34, Watson 5 from six.

6.22 am: Shami still not in full rhythm, as Warner picks a three through the offside. Watson will want to see off the early spell, while India need to strike while he is still jittery. Australia 54 for one. Warner 41 in 30.

6.17 am: Shane Watson comes in at No.3 and weaves away from an Ishant bouncer. Australia 50/1 after eight overs

6.15 am: Wicket! Ishant has looked the best bowler for India so far, and the man with the long hair provides that breakthrough, shaping one away with Rogers finding the outside edge through to Shikhar Dhawan in the slips. Australia 50/1, Rogers gone for 9 (22b, 1x4).

6.10 am: after Warner is kept quiet by Ishant, Rogers tells Warner "what are you doing defending mate" with a nice straight drive to get the boundary-hitting back on course. Australia 49/0 after 7.

Warner then takes a single to get Australia to 50 after just 43 balls. Australia are nice and settled now. India need a wicket, and quickly, or this could get away from them quickly. Could Ishant be the man?

6.06 am: Aaron goes off and Ishant the "Steady Eddie" keeps Warner quiet, by bowling a maiden over, even if the left-hander was not troubled. Something for India, though. 45 for no loss after 6. Warner 37 in 26, Rogers 5 in 12.

6.01 am: India happy to keep Rogers on strike, a more sedate over. Australia 45 for no loss after five.

5.56 am: Aaron already looks rattled, bowling no-balls and wides. The Warner assault is getting to India, with the left-hander looking more comfortable in the middle than an Irishman in a pub. Australia 40/0 after four overs – Warner on 35 from 17 and Rogers on 2 from eight balls.

5.52 am: And the first short ball comes in the 19^th ball of the Test match. A wonderful bouncer from Aaron, with Warner just getting out of the way. Applause reverberates around the ground. Aaron tries another one off the next ball, but Warner dabs that for a boundary.

5.50 am: Warner, well, being Warner really. Flaying one through point for a ripping boundary, before smashing a couple more cover drives to leave Virat Kohli and Shami already fearing the worst. The left-hander looks in ridiculous form, and he could race to a big score in the blink or few of an eye here. 31/0 after three overs Australia, Warner on 28 from just 13 balls with six boundaries already!

5.44 am: David Warner stars off with a typically belligerent drive through the offside, and then follows that with another two more off Varun Aaron, whose idea of bowling full, but a little too wide, just fails to work. Australia start off on a positive note, and what else do you expect with Warner in in your lineup. Australia 16/0 after 2 overs.

5.38 am: Decent first over from Shami, had Rogers in trouble a couple of times, even rapping him on the pads, but no wicket for India. Australia 2/0 after one over.

5.32 am: Chris Rogers to take strike as Mohammed Shami comes storming in looking for that early wicket.

5.17 am: The teams are walking out to the middle with black armbands on and in a tribute to Hughes applause rings around the stadium for 63 seconds, the score the left-hander was on before being struck down by a bouncer.

5.07 am: The Lineups: Australia: Chris Rogers, David Warner, Shane Watson, Michael Clarke (capt), Steven Smith, Mitchell Marsh, Brad Haddin, Mitchell Johnson, Peter Siddle, Ryan Harris, Nathan Lyon.

India: Murali Vijay, Shikhar Dhawan, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane, Rohit Sharma, Wriddhiman Saha, Karn Sharma, Ishant Sharma, Mohammed Shami, Varun Aaron.

5 am: Mark Nicholas is there in the middle with Michael Clarke and Virat Kohli for the toss, and Clarke it is who wins the toss.

"We're ready to go, we're excited," says Clarke after electing to bat first.

"It's been a sad time, but this is the only way to move on," says Kohli.

"Lovely chap, very cheerful, I knew him well," adds the India skipper about Phil Hughes.

Karn Sharma is the surprise inclusion, with Aaron, Shami and Ishant the other bowlers.

Hope you have your coffee mugs out (if you're in India, of course), because this first Test match between Australia and India in Adelaide promises to be an unforgettable one, for varied reasons.

That first Test, which should have ended a day ago, and which for a while did not even look like it might actually begin, is finally upon us, with all the emotions, the tears, the overwhelming sense of loss from the death of Phil Hughes being carried onto the Adelaide Oval by every single player, and none more so than the Australia skipper himself Michael Clarke.

This Test match will not be about joy and banter and sledging; this Test match will be about paying tribute to a talented cricketer who was taken away way too soon, and that too in an extremely cruel manner, leaving many, most importantly Sean Abbott, to pick up the pieces.

Clarke will undoubtedly be the catalyst for Australia on how they perform on Day One of the first Test, and if the skipper leads his "are we even supposed to be here" troops out in the best possible manner, then we could be in for a cracker of a Test match.

For India, it will all be about making a good start; if Virat Kohli can lead from the front as well, be that with the bat on day one, or on the field, then the visitors will have a decent chance of breaking that away Test match hoodoo.

Australia have already named their lineup for the first Test, and here it is: Chris Rogers, David Warner, Shane Watson, Michael Clarke (capt), Steven Smith, Mitchell Marsh, Brad Haddin, Mitchell Johnson, Peter Siddle, Ryan Harris, Nathan Lyon.

Josh Hazlewood and Shaun Marsh are the ones to miss out for the Aussies.

To get the full schedule of the Test series along with a write up, do go HERE, while the entire squad list is accessible HERE. If you feel like live streaming the action, or finding out on which channel the match is being shown, do go HERE.