When Steve Waugh won the toss and told Sourav Ganguly that the visitors would like to take the field, it was a win-win situation. The Indian skipper revealed that he would have anyway elected to bat first had he won the toss. Perhaps he had visions of putting up a big score first up. Maybe he had visions of helping himself to a good score against challenging opposition. All those visions were quickly put to rest by one Glenn Donald McGrath.

Warne 4 wickets Photo AFP

In three spells of high quality fast bowling (6-4-4-1; 5-3-7-0 and 3-2-8-2) McGrath ripped the heart out of the Indian batting line up, setting up a platform for ace leggie Shane Warne (4/47) to peddle his wares. A little more than 15 overs after tea India were skittled out for 176 and Australia at close were sitting pretty at 49/1 as the first Test got underway at the Wankhede stadium in Mumbai on Tuesday.

At the end of the day there was nothing to smile about for the hosts. The team touted to be kings at home, unbeaten by Australia in 31 years in their backyard, kicked off this three Test series in dismal fashion. With the highest partnership of the day being 75 between Tendulkar and VVS Laxman, there was never any hope of India crossing the 200 mark.

Earlier, Waugh won the toss and put India in to bat on a pitch that looked like it might help the fast bowlers a bit early on. Help early on or not, it was a brave decision. At the end of the day, a decision that paid rich dividends for the Aussies. McGrath set the tone of the day early on, softening up opener Sadagoppan Ramesh with a few quick bouncers. The visibly rattled southpaw was immediately on the back foot and could only manage a couple of runs before unsuccessfully attempting a pull to a short ball down leg side. With Ramesh back in the hut, a lot was expected of Rahul Dravid. When Damien Fleming foxed Dravid and had him nicking to the keeper India were in a spot of bother.

At the end of the 23rd over, that spot of bother had developed into something more critical. The scoreboard read 55/4, with Das dismissed and Ganguly accounted for. The Bengal Tiger managed to put away two bad deliveries - one through point and the other past mid off - but could not negotiate one good ball from Warne. Poking tentatively at a drifter from Warne, Ganguly (8) failed to rise to the occasion. But then again, this is not the first time that has happened.

Tendulkar then set about restoring some of the pride India had comprehensively lost. Crashing the ball back past the bowler in authoritative fashion, Tendulkar turned the heat right back on the Aussies. Shortly after lunch, Tendulkar dispatched Fleming to the fence thrice in succession in most disdainful fashion. A blaze of glory it was, and one that McGrath didn't appreciate. Coming back to bowl his third spell, McGrath bowled Tendulkar a peach of a delivery that the little master couldn't resist going after. Pitching just outside the off, shaping away a touch, McGrath dragged Tendulkar's unwilling bat out to the off side and seduced the nick off it. A masterly innings of 76 (138 minutes, 114 balls 13 fours) had come to an end and McGrath had the immaculate figures of 19-13-19-3.

Nayan Mongia made a painful unbeaten 26 as the tail stubbornly refused to wag.

Michael Slater and Matthew Hayden came out to bat with 16 overs to negotiate. After nicking one against a fired up Agarkar and being given not out by umpire David Shepherd, Slater departed without causing too much further damage. The dashing New South Wales batsman made 10 before dragging a ball from Agarkar back on to his stumps. Justin Langer joined Hayden and the two smothered pace and spin alike to come in unbeaten at stumps.

There's no doubting who holds the aces at the end of the first day. Yet there is hope still for the home team. With the wicket doing more than a bit for the spinners, there is hope that the Indians can claw their way back into this game over the next few sessions.

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