Ricky Ponting won the toss and decided to bat in the first Test against India after a week in which the MCG pitch remained a mystery, as did the make-up of both sides. The questions were answered on the opening morning as Australia left out Shaun Tait and India confirmed that Rahul Dravid would move up to open, leaving space for Yuvraj Singh at No. 6.

India also chose two spinners with Harbhajan Singh joining Anil Kumble on a pitch Ponting expected to be very slow and which displayed a few small cracks on the first morning. After a week of unseasonal heavy rain that washed out India's only warm-up match Melbourne turned on a sunny Boxing Day and the forecast did not indicate any showers over the next five days.

Australia decided against choosing a four-man pace attack and instead handed Brad Hogg his fifth Test cap, more than 11 years after he made his debut. Hogg waited an Australian record of 78 games for his second Test but then stalled on four, spending another 45 Tests watching on before being called up for Boxing Day in Stuart MacGill's absence.

Mitchell Johnson won the third fast-bowling position, which he held during the Sri Lanka series, despite a strong push for Tait to rattle India with his extreme speed. The selectors may have been swayed not only by Johnson's impressive Test entry last month but also by his form against India – he was the leading wicket-taker on Australia's recent ODI tour there.

The visitors could not find a spot for Virender Sehwag, who etched his name into MCG history with 195 the last time India played a Test at the ground. Sourav Ganguly became the seventh India player to reach 100 Tests and depending on which authority one believes the MCG might also have reached triple-figures – or its 101st Test.

Australia 1 Matthew Hayden, 2 Phil Jaques, 3 Ricky Ponting (capt), 4 Michael Hussey, 5 Michael Clarke, 6 Andrew Symonds, 7 Adam Gilchrist (wk), 8 Brad Hogg, 9 Brett Lee, 10 Mitchell Johnson, 11 Stuart Clark.

India 1 Wasim Jaffer, 2 Rahul Dravid, 3 VVS Laxman, 4 Sachin Tendulkar, 5 Sourav Ganguly, 6 Yuvraj Singh, 7 MS Dhoni (wk), 8 Anil Kumble (capt), 9 Zaheer Khan, 10 RP Singh, 11 Harbhajan Singh.

Source – www.baggygreen.com.au