In a highly anticipated opening match of the Border-Gavaskar five-match series, India won the toss and opted to bat at Perth Stadium on Friday.
The Indian team introduced two new players: 21-year-old fast bowler and all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy and 22-year-old fast bowler Harshit Rana. Their participation comes as India plays without the leadership of Rohit Sharma, who is on paternity leave, and Shubman Gill, who is sidelined due to a broken finger.
With the addition of Reddy and Rana, India will deploy a formidable four-man pace attack led by Jasprit Bumrah, who is captaining the side for just the second time. Mohamed Siraj will also play a crucial role in the bowling lineup. Rohit Sharma is anticipated to reunite with the team following this initial test match.
K.L. Rahul is returning to the team as an opener alongside young talent Yashasvi Jaiswal. The Indian batting order boasts several all-rounders, with Virat Kohli being the solitary figure bringing seasoned experience to the lineup.
In a surprising decision, India has chosen to include off-spinner and all-rounder Washington Sundar in the team, opting for him instead of the more experienced players Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja.
On the Australian side, young opener Nathan McSweeney has been capped to bat alongside seasoned opener Usman Khawaja, replacing the retired David Warner in a strong batting setup. At 25, McSweeney is looking to establish himself on the international stage.
The Australian bowling attack will feature left-arm swing bowler Mitchell Starc and seam bowler Josh Hazlewood, both just two wickets shy of reaching a remarkable 400 wickets as a new-ball partnership. They will be joined by captain Pat Cummins and experienced off-spinner Nathan Lyon, creating a solid rotation of bowlers.
After considering a change to the batting order, Steve Smith has returned to his customary No. 4 position, while Marnus Labuschagne will occupy the important No. 3 spot in the batting lineup.
Both India and Australia are among the top two teams in the World Test Championship standings, making this match crucial for both sides.
Lineups:
Australia: Usman Khawaja, Nathan McSweeney, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Travis Head, Mitchell Marsh, Alex Carey, Pat Cummins (captain), Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Nathan Lyon.
India: K.L. Rahul, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Devdutt Padikkal, Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant, Dhruv Jurel, Washington Sundar, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Harshit Rana, Jasprit Bumrah (captain), Mohamed Siraj.
Umpires: Richard Kettleborough (England) and Chris Gaffaney (New Zealand). TV Umpire: Richard Illingworth (England). Match Referee: Ranjan Madugalle (Sri Lanka).