India Wins Toss And Opts To Bat First In 1st Test Against Australia; Debuts For Nitish Reddy And Harshit Rana

India faces Australia in the opening Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy at Perth's Optus Stadium. Jasprit Bumrah leads India in Rohit Sharma's absence. This match is pivotal for both teams as they vie for a spot in the World Test Championship Final.

Jasprit Bumrah, India's captain, won the toss and opted to bat first. "Looks like a good wicket. For our batters and our team [the WACA] was a great experience. We played a Test here in 2018 so we know what to expect. The wicket gets quicker after the first session," said Bumrah at the toss.

India has introduced Harshit Rana and Nitish Kumar Reddy as debutants in this match. Harshit has shown promise recently, excelling in a simulation game at the WACA. Nitish Reddy's addition strengthens the middle order and offers an extra pace option. Devdutt Padikkal steps in for injured Shubman Gill, while KL Rahul replaces Rohit Sharma.

Nathan McSweeney will make his debut for Australia too. The Australian team includes three pacers, with Nathan Lyon as their sole spinner.

India: Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Devdutt Padikkal, Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant (wk), Dhruv Jurel, Ravichandran Ashwin, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Mohammed Siraj, Jasprit Bumrah (c), Harshit Rana.

Australia: Usman Khawaja, Nathan McSweeney, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Travis Head, Mitchell Marsh, Alex Carey (wk), Pat Cummins (c), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood.

This high-stakes encounter promises intense competition as both teams aim to secure an advantage early in the series. With new players making their mark and seasoned players leading from the front, fans can expect thrilling cricket action.