Kuldeep Yadav Used Shane Warne Advice to Torment Australia in Dharamsala

The chinaman returned with figures of 4/68, including the prized scalp of the unsafe David Warner (56), who forged a 134-run second wicket stand with skipper Steve Smith (111).

Bhuvneshwar Kumar replaces Ishant Sharma, Kuldeep Yadav makes his Test debut as Australia retained the same team.

Smith revealed his team’s ambitious bid to replicate the success of the Adam Gilchrist-led side has received encouragement from Simon Katich, who was part of the victorious 2004 side.

Smith has now made seven centuries in his past eight Tests against India and, while his batting might provide a blueprint for his team-mates, it’s questionable whether any of them could perform at the same level as their captain in his current form. A nice tickle down the leg side got him to the three-figure mark, a feat that was acknowledged with standing ovation.

“I’m not really bothered if we are the favourites or underdogs to be honest with you”, Smith said at the Himachal PradeshCricket Association Stadium, in India’s Himalayan foothills, which hosts its first test match from Saturday.

The 22-year-old sent down a delivery which pitched around the off-stump, kicked off and kissed the shoulder of Warner’s bat before reaching Ajinkya Rahane in the slip.

Selectors were grasping for straws trying to find another Shane Warne and since Smith started off as a legspinner, he was given a punt.

Smith and Warner laid the foundation for a big first innings total with a century partnership during which Smith’s characteristic fluency contrasted Warner’s scratchy knock.

Highly impressed with India’s debut bowler Kuldeep Yadav, Australia’s wicket keeper batsman Matthew Wade admitted that it was hard to pick his deliveries initially and took few balls to get used to his bowling.

Soon afterward, Smith was caught at slip off Ravichandran Ashwin (1-54). We found a way to grind out 300 runs and it was a good effort. In all, he faced 173 balls and hit 14 fours.

25 consecutive Tests played by Virat Kohli as captain for India before missing this Test, the 4th-most by an Indian captain after Mohammad Azharuddin (37), Sourav Ganguly (33) and MS Dhoni (27). “Steve (Smith) is playing a different game at the moment, and he is making it look very easy”, Wade said.

Australia have forced the world No.1 to dig deep into their bag of tricks this series but India have found an answer each time.

“The cracks are playing a huge role, with the spinners as well as the quicks”, the wicketkeeper said.

1,000 runs for Smith as captain against India. The third test in Pune was drawn.