2 mistakes and 1 masterstroke by Team India in the 1st Test vs Australia

Team India were in total command throughout the first Test against Australia in Nagpur. They thrashed the visitors by an innings and 132 runs to take a 1-0 lead in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

The second Test will take place in Delhi, a venue that is known to assist the spinners. Australia will be well aware of the mountain they have to climb to get a positive result in the series, while Rohit Sharma and Co. will take heart from their comprehensive win in the first Test.

India will be chuffed with their display in the series opener, but they will know that there's always room for improvement. Here are two mistakes and one masterstroke by Team India in the first Test against Australia.

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#3 Mistake - India picked Suryakumar Yadav in the playing XI

India v Australia - 1st Test: Day 2

Shreyas Iyer was ruled out of the first Test, and India had a key decision to make in his absence. They had to choose between Suryakumar Yadav and Shubman Gill for a middle-order role, with KL Rahul somewhere in the mix as well.

Despite conventional wisdom and stats dictating that Gill should be the frontrunner for the role, India went with Suryakumar. They handed the 32-year-old batter his maiden Test cap despite him having not just a poor first-class record but also serious concerns over his ability to play quality bowling in the longest format.

The move didn't pay off, with Suryakumar being totally outdone by Nathan Lyon. SKY was the veteran Aussie off-spinner's only scalp of the match, with the other batters playing him out convincingly despite the odd ball turning past the edge.

Surely India have to bring Gill into the fold now?

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#2 Masterstroke - India understood the value of first-innings runs

India v Australia - 1st Test: Day 2

The first thing that could go Australia's way went their way - the toss. The coin favored Pat Cummins, who decided to bat first as expected. It was all India from there on, though.

The hosts first bowled out the Aussies for 177, and it would've been easy for them to get complacent after taking the lead with five wickets to spare. After they took the lead, though, India were resolute in their chase of a big total.

The lower-middle order, including Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel, put together 88 runs for the eighth wicket, taking India to a distinctly above-par total. Even Mohammad Shami chipped in with the bat as Rohit Sharma and Co. racked up 400 runs in their first innings.

It never seemed like India would need to bat again after that, with the Aussies meekly surrendering for just 91 in their second innings. The home side understood the value of first-innings runs, and had they not turned in such a batting display, the match would've perhaps been rather close.

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#1 Mistake - India made a few elementary errors in the field

India v Australia - 1st Test: Day 1

India were on the money for most of the first Test, but they made a few elementary errors on the field. Rohit Sharma was superb with his bowling changes and field placements in both innings, barring the decision to put Virat Kohli at first slip.

Kohli has never been a safe slip fielder, and the same came to light in Nagpur. He shelled three catches, two of which were very straightforward, appearing to react late to all of them. The 34-year-old looked totally out of his depth against the spinners and needs to be replaced at the position.

Jadeja, meanwhile, overstepped five times in the Test. He would've had his 250th Test wicket - Steve Smith, once again - had he not bowled a no-ball. The left-arm spinner has been known to struggle to keep his foot behind the line, and that could come back to haunt India in a closer contest.

India need to avoid such elementary mistakes in the next three Tests.