FACTBOX - Australia v India, first Test

INDIA (World ranking: second)        

Squad - Mahendra Singh Dhoni (captain), Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, Ajinkya Rahane, Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, VVS Laxman, Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Pragyan Ojha, Ravichandran Ashwin, Ishant Sharma, Umesh Yadav, R Vinay Kumar, Abhimanyu Mithun, Wriddhiman Saha, Zaheer Khan.    

Coach: Duncan Fletcher     

 - -    

WHAT THEY SAY    

I think it's going to be a really good contest between youth and enthusiasm versus some old wise heads in the Indian team - Australia skipper Clarke   

-      

It's true that they are out of form and we'll have to keep them out of form. But don't count an Australian team out when it's going through a rebuilding phase - India coach Fletcher   

- -     

WHAT THE BOOKMAKERS SAY*    

Australia win: 5-4    India win: 9-4    Draw: 15-8       

 - -     

MATCH OFFICIALS     

Umpires: Marais Erasmus (South Africa), Ian Gould (England)    

Third umpire: Paul Reiffel (Australia)     

Fourth umpire: Ash Barrow (Australia)    

Match Referee: Ranjan Madugalle (Sri Lanka)       

- -      

HISTORY    

Previous Australia v India tests at the MCG:    

1948 - Australia won by 233 runs     

1948 - Australia won by an innings and 177 runs    

1967-8 - Australia won by an innings and four runs     

1977-8 - India won by 222 runs     

1981 - India won by 59 runs     

1985 - Match drawn    

1991 - Australia won by eight wickets     

1999 - Australia won by 180 runs    

2003 - Australia won by nine wickets     

2007 - Australia won by 337 runs

 - -     

TOUR    

Remaining Tests in series:               

Second Test -  Jan. 3-7   (2330) -  Sydney Cricket Ground     

Third Test  -  Jan. 13-17 (0230) -   WACA, Perth    

Fourth Test  - Jan. 24-28 (0000)  - Adelaide Oval