AUS vs IND: First look at Perth pitch ahead of opening Test match

India are set to play their opening Test match of the series in Perth. Here's the first look of the pitch at the Optus Stadium in Perth.

In Short

• India play their first Test vs Australia in Perth
• Perth is expected to have a bouncy wicket
• The fans got a glimpse of the Perth wickt on 18 November

India are set to play Australia in the first Test match of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Perth. The Indian team is expected to get a bouncy wicket from the hosts, which is expected to help the strong Australian fast-bowling line-up.

The media got the first glimpse of the Perth pitch on Monday, 18 November during Australia's training sessions. According to the local media, the pitch was heavily watered and had a nice tinge of green to it. The media reported that if the curators continue their current approach, the Optus Stadium will have a fast wicket which offers good bounce to the bowlers.

Here's the first look of the pitch at the Optus Stadium

Optus Stadium's head curator, Isaac McDonald, had earlier revealed that his team has prepared the pitch to embody these traditional Perth traits, hoping it will provide the stern test of fast-bowling conditions for which the region is famous.

The pitch for this opening Test was transferred onto the Optus Stadium playing surface last month after extensive curation, beginning as early as September. It shares the same local clay and grass species as the renowned WACA pitch, and it will be only the fifth Test held at the 60,000-seat Optus Stadium. The upcoming clash against India is expected to generate more local excitement for Test cricket, particularly with a fast, bouncy surface that has led to thrilling contests in the past.

"We're setting ourselves up for really good pace, really good bounce, and really good carry," McDonald told ESPNcricinfo, noting that the pitch will be left with around 10 millimeters of live grass. This extra grass is intended to enhance speed, making life tough for batsmen and providing Australia's pace attack-led by Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, and Mitchell Starc with the ideal surface.

Perth Test: India's selection headache

McDonald recalls last year's Test against Pakistan at Optus Stadium, where Pakistan crumbled for 89 runs in their second innings, succumbing to Australia's pace bowlers. The pitch deteriorated significantly during the match, opening cracks that produced unpredictable bounce and low skidding deliveries. Australian batsmen Marnus Labuschagne and Usman Khawaja took several blows, with Labuschagne describing it as one of the most challenging surfaces he'd faced.

The pitch is set to mirror these conditions, and both teams' fast-bowling units will be looking to exploit the bounce. "Both bowling units were pretty rapid last year, and I'm hoping for much the same this year," McDonald said. While he believes skilled batsmen can capitalise on the conditions, he's confident that the pace and live grass will keep both sides on edge.

India will look to counter this fiery Perth wicket with their own fast-bowling arsenal, but without a practice match under their belt, adapting quickly to these foreign conditions will be crucial if they hope to start the series strongly.