Australia vs India 2014/15 - 4th Test, Day 1, Lunch: Chris Rogers, David Warner give Australia blazing start

Chris Rogers (L) and David Warner

Sydney, Jan 6 - Openers Chris Rogers and David Warner gave Australia the perfect start they needed against India in the fourth and final Test by not losing a single wicket in the morning session of play and scoring 123 runs at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) here Tuesday.

Aussie skipper Steven Smith thought best to bat and in came Rogers (52 not out) and Warner (63 not out) who gave the home side a solid, flying start. Indian bowlers - Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Umesh Yadav, Mohammed Shami and Ravichandran Ashwin -- were hammered all over the ground in the 28 overs bowled in the first session of the match.

Having already lost the series 0-2, India went into the final Test making four changes to the playing XI. Wicketkeeper Wriddhiman Saha, Suresh Raina, Rohit Sharma and Bhuvneshwar Kumar came in to replace the retired Mahendra Singh Dhoni, opener Shikhar Dhawan, Cheteshwar Pujara and pace bowler Ishant Sharma.

However, the changes bore no fruit as the Australian openers came out to bat with an attacking mindset. Warner scored his 14th Test half century while Rogers struck his fifth consecutive half-century.

The only real chance India had was when Rogers edged a seaming Shami delivery into Lokesh Rahul's hands at second slip but the ball popped out. It was the eighth over with the score reading 46 runs and Rogers batting on 19.

There was an emotional moment towards the end of the session when Warner reached 63 not out, bent down and kissed the turf as a tribute to the late cricketer Phillip Hughes, who, on this very ground, was struck by a fatal bouncer on November 25 which eventually led to his death two days later.

Hughes was batting on 63 not out in the first-class match when the bouncer hit the back of his head.

Australia 1st innings

Chris Rogers not out 52

David Warner not out 63

Extras (lb 3, w 5) 8

Total (0 wickets in 28 overs) 123

Bowling

Bhuvneshwar Kumar 8-0-30-0

Umesh Yadav 6-0-42-0

Mohammed Shami 6-0-31-0

Ravichandran Ashwin 8-3-17-0

Match details

Toss: Australia chose to bat

Umpires: Kumar Dharmasena (Sri Lanka) and Richard Kettleborough (England)

TV umpire: Simon Fry (Australia)

Match referee: Roshan Mahanama (Sri Lanka)

Reserve umpire: Gerard Abood (Australia)