PHOTOS: India v Australia, Delhi Test, Day 1

Images from the first day's play in the fourth and final Test between India and Australia at Kotla.

Ajinkya Rahane's long wait is finally over. The Mumbai lad made his debut in Test cricket in the fourth and final Test between India and Australia, at the Feroz Shah Kotla, in New Delhi, on Friday.

- Scorecard

He came into the team as a replacement for Shikhar Dhawan, who was ruled out of the Test following an injury. It is unclear, though, whether the right-hander will open the innings or bat in the middle order.

- Kotla pitch a 'three-day' wicket?

Australia ended the day on 231 for 8 after electing to bat.

Peter Siddle was unbeaten on 47. Steven Smith (46), Phil Hughes (45) and Ed Cowan (38) were the other notable contributors for Australia.

Ravichandran Ashwin was India's leading bowler, with figures of 4 for 40, while Ravindra Jadeja bagged two wickets for 34 and Ishant Sharma two for 35.

Australia will miss their talismanic skipper Michael Clarke, who was ruled out of the match after failing to recover from a lower back injury sustained in the third Test.

Shane Watson, who was dropped from the team for the third Test after breaching team discipline,  was handed charge.

He won the toss and elected to bat.

Ishant Sharma struck for India in his first over, dismissing David Warner with a fuller delivery outside the off-stump, which the batsman played away from his body.

India are gunning for a whitewash as Australia haven't won a Test at the Feroze Shah Kotla since 1959.

Sharma bowled superbly in the difficult conditions and was rewarded with a second wicket. The local lad bowled Phillip Hughes for 45.

Shane Watson failed to impress on Test captaincy debut. Having survived a stumping appeal in the first session, the all-rounder was dismissed by a typical left-arm spinner's delivery from Ravindra Jadeja.

Ed Cowan (37) did all the hardwork, grinding it out in the first session after playing and missing on a number of occasions. But just when he looked set, he went for a sweep shot and was bowled round his legs by Ravichandran Ashwin.

Jadeja bagged the crucial wicket of Shane Watson He had Australia's captain stumped for 17.

Watson stepped down the wicket but was beaten in the flight and MS Dhoni had all the time in the world to knock off the bails.

Looks like Jadeja has got this penchant for taking the wickets of the captains. He got Clarke out five times, and now Watson's wicket!

Steven Smith fell short of a well deserved half-century. He tried to defend Ashwin off the front foot but got an inside edge which was well-held by debutant Ajinkya Rahane at short leg.

Mitchell Johnson was bowled by Ashwin for three as he offered no shot.