India win toss and elect to field

Indian captain Sourav Ganguly won the toss and elected to field against Australia in the first Test at the Gabba here today.

India chose Virender Sehwag and Akash Chopra as their opening batting combination and left out leg-spinner Anil Kumble, going in for a three-pronged pace attack in Zaheer Khan, Ashish Nehra and Ajit Agarkar with Harbhajan Singh as the lone specialist spinner.

Australia also lined-up a three-pacer-and-spinner bowling attack, Nathan Bracken getting the nod ahead of Brad Williams.

India are to play four Tests followed by a triangular one-day series involving Zimbabwe as the third team on their tour Down Under.

Teams:

India: Akash Chopra, Virender Sehwag, Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly, V V S Laxman, Parthiv Patel, Harbhajan Singh, Zaheer Khan, Ashish Nehra, Ajit Agarkar.

Australia: Justin Langer, Matthew Hayden, Ricky Ponting, Damien Martyn, Simon Katich, Steve Waugh, Adam Gilchrist, Andrew Bichel, Stuart MacGill, Jason Gillespie, Nathan Bracken.

Umpires: Rudi Koertzen (South Africa) and Steve Bucknor (West Indies).

Match-referee: Mike Procter (South Africa).