Renshaw, Starc keep Australia alive against India

Batsman, bowler pull team back from the brink after hosts’ impressive attack

PUNE: A gritty half-century from an ailing Matt Renshaw and some late Mitchell Starc fireworks pulled Australia back from the brink against a persistent Indian attack on the opening day of the first Test on Thursday.

The visitors, who elected to bat on what seemed a typical turning Indian wicket, were 256-9 at stumps in Pune with Starc batting on 57 off 58 balls and Josh Hazlewood with him at the crease on one.

Indian seamer Umesh Yadav claimed four wickets while the spinners Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja took two each at the country's newest Test venue.

Renshaw, who was forced to retire in the morning session due to a stomach bug before returning to the fray, was the anchor of the innings, top-scoring with 68 but it was Starc who provided the main entertainment.

Coming in at number eight, Starc put on an unbeaten 51-run stand with Hazlewood to lift the visitors from a precarious 205-9.

Starc, better known for his fast-bowling, caught the Indian attack by surprise by carting them around the ground late in the day in a blistering innings which featured five boundaries and three sixes.

It was the ninth Test fifty of his career. His highest Test score is 99.

Earlier Renshaw came back to bat again after the dismissal of skipper Steve Smith (27) just before the tea break to register his second Test fifty in his fifth game.

Renshaw, who was involved in an 82-run opening stand with David Warner, struck 10 fours and a six during his 156-ball stay which ended when he edged a ball from Ashwin and was caught by Murali Vijay in the slips.

Smith formed crucial partnerships with Shaun Marsh (16) and Peter Handscomb (22) before being dismissed by Ashwin.

The visitors' batting saw a big slump after a good first session as they slipped from 119-1, losing their next nine wickets for just 86 runs.

The match is the first in a four-Test series between the world's two top-ranked sides. The other Tests are in Bangalore, Ranchi and Dharamasala.