Live Cricket Score, India Vs Australia, 1st Test, Day 1, Pune: Smith Wins Toss, Opts To Bat First

It has been an incredible run in Test cricket for India in the last couple of years. The Virat Kohli-led team is unbeaten in the last 19 matches, and have won six consecutive series in the longest form of the game. At home, they have been almost unplayable, cruising to comprehensive victories over New Zealand, England and Bangladesh in recent months. With Australia heading over to India for a four-Test series, the hosts will look to continue their good form, starting from the first Test in Pune from Thursday. (LIVE SCORECARD)

Catch all the live updates from Day 1 of the 1st India vs Australia Test in Pune:

There are several factors in India's stupendous run, chief among those being captain Virat Kohli's phenomenal run with the bat. The young captain has truly led from the front by



notching up four double hundreds.

Kohli is averaging over 80 after accumulating 1457 runs in the last 13 Tests and Australia will need to find ways to curtail his brilliance to stop the Indian Juggernaut.

The other major factor has been the excellent bowling by spinners Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja, incidentally the top two bowlers in the ICC rankings.

Off-spinner Ashwin has grabbed 78 wickets in 13 games during the same period with 8 five-fors at an average of just over 24 while left-armer Jadeja has scalped 49 wickets in 10 Tests at just under 25.

It will be interesting to see whether the Pune track offers some turn for spinners on the opening day, with Australian skipper Steve Smith having said that the pitch will offer turn right from Day 1.