India Vs Australia, 1st Test, 1st day: It looks like a Day 5 pitch, says Shane Warne

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Pune, Feb 23: India and Australia were handed a "very dry" pitch for the series-opening Test here at the Maharashtra Cricket Association (MCA) Stadium today.

Series schedule, squads, TV info; Day 1 report; Photos

Australian captain Steve Smith won the toss and elected to bat first against the Virat Kohli-led side on Thursday. However, the talking point was the 22-yard surface which left present and former cricketers surprised. "It's very dry, won't bounce," said Smith after winning the toss.

""I have never seen a pitch like this in Indian conditions," said Ravi Shastri in the pitch report for host broadcaster "Star Sports" TV.

"A pitch that dry suggests that there has been no water on this for the last 7 to 8 days. Some huge cracks here and that without the sun coming out. It is 40 degrees celsius in the afternoons and it could well spin from ball one. But when the ball lands on the footmarks, the ball will misbehave and reverse for the quicks as well," he added.

Spin legend Shane Warne, who was with Shastri for the pitch report, said, "It looks like a day five pitch at the start. The toss is going to be very crucial. If you take the advantage so much, it looks to even out then."

"We have seen turning pitches in India but this is extreme," said Sanjay Manjrekar on commentary.

India have gone in with three spinners in Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja and Jayant Yadav. The visitors have Nathan Lyon and Stephen O'Keefe as their slow bowlers. Ashwin was given the ball to bowl the 2nd over of the match suggesting that spinners will have a lot of bowling to do.

OneIndia News