Australia announce playing XI for 1st Test, Henriques to debut

Chennai: Australia on Wednesday confirmed their playing XI for the first Test against India in Chennai starting on Friday with Moises Henriques set to debut and Shane Watson to bat at No. 4. Australia will be going in with a four-pronged pace attack in the opening Test with Nathan Lyon as their lone spinner.

In the two warm-up games ahead of the Test series, the 26-year-old Henriques had done well both with the bat and ball whereas his nearest competitor Glenn Maxwell had failed to impress. Against the Board President's XI Henriques took four wickets and against India A he scored a breezy 30 of 41 balls.

The New South Wales allrounder will be the fourth pace bowler in the playing XI joining Peter Siddle, Mitchell Starc and James Pattinson. David Warner will open the innings with Ed Cowan with skipper Michael Clarke dropping down to No. 5 to accommodate Watson, who normally opens the innings.

The 26-year-old Henriques had done well both with the bat and ball in the warm-up games whereas his nearest competitor Glenn Maxwell had failed to impress.

Australia: 1 David Warner, 2 Ed Cowan, 3 Phillip Hughes, 4 Shane Watson, 5 Michael Clarke (capt), 6 Matthew Wade (wk),7 Moises Henriques, 8 Peter Siddle, 9 Mitchell Starc, 10 James Pattinson, 11 Nathan Lyon.

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