Usman Khawaja and Peter Handscomb keep Australia alive on opening day of second Test in Delhi

Australia’s Border-Gavaskar trophy hopes are delicately balanced after they broke through to a modest first innings of 263 in the second Test against India in Delhi.

India openers Rohit Sharma (13 not out) and KL Rahul (4 not out) survived a tricky spell of nine more before stumps on the first day to guide the hosts to 0-21 at Arun Jaitely Stadium .

Sharma was bowled off Nathan Lyon in the final, but the India captain successfully overturned the decision.

After captain Pat Cummins won his eighth successive toss, Australia built more of a platform than they did in Nagpur last week, when they capitulated to an innings, 132-run defeat.

Tough hitting from Usman Khawaja (81) and Peter Handscomb (72 not out) helped the Australian nearly top his combined two innings from the first Test.

Usman Khawaja made 81, his highest score against India in Test cricket

Peter Handscomb made his first Test half-century in six years as Australia battled hard in India

David Warner was sent off for 15 and did not play after receiving a brutal blow to the helmet

The tourists would have expected a higher score on a field with few demons, but the total was perhaps better than expected after they fell to 3-91 and 6-168.

Australia have already made some bold and sometimes baffling selections in this four-Test series, but they are already vindicated by the decision to retire Handscomb.

The Victorian delivered one of his best performances with a loose green in frustrating India’s imposing attack at the Arun Jaitley Stadium.

Handscomb combined for a 61-run fifth wicket stand with star opener Usman Khawaja as the pair looked to turn the momentum in Australia’s favour.

But after losing 2-0 on three balls in the first session, Australia lost 2-1 shortly before the tea break when Alex Carey was sent off without scoring.

It was early Test stars Ravichandran Ashwin (3-57) and Ravi Jadeja (3-68) who delivered the big blows by taking the prized scalps of Marnus Labuschange and Steve Smith.

Khawaja’s entrepreneurial coup came to a shocking end, with India opener KL Rahul hanging on a mid-air catch as the home crowd erupted as the 36-year-old finished 19 runs away from a famous century.

The left-hander ran his luck brilliantly to make the top fifty of the Australian series, surviving some loud shouts from Indian spinners and speedsters alike.

Nathan Lyon (left) thought he had caught Rohit Sharma LBW in the final of the day

But the Indian captain successfully reviewed the decision and remains undefeated on the 13th

Khawaja’s opening partner David Warner went down for 15 to end a torturous innings in which he was hit on the helmet and elbow in separate incidents.

After India took 15 of Australia’s 20 wickets in Nagpur with effect, fast bowler Mohammed Shami bowled tirelessly to finish with numbers of 4-60.

Australia’s bold bid to experiment with Cummins as its only recognized fast engine will be put to the test on Saturday, after tourists opted to include Queensland spinner Matt Kuhnemann.

Kuhnemann was playing in front of just 100 fans in the Sheffield Shield less than a week ago, but the left-hander opened the bowling alongside Cummins in the Indian capital.

Mohammad Shami was the Indian bowlers’ choice, finishing with four wickets in 14.4 overs.

Ravi Ashwin (right) removed Steve Smith for a second ball duck as Australia fell to 3-90

The 26-year-old is playing third player alongside first Test sensation Todd Murphy and veteran Nathan Lyon after being called up to the squad six days ago to replace Queensland team-mate Mitchell Swepson.

The last time Australia picked three spinners was against Bangladesh in 2017 when Lyon, Ashton Agar and Steve O’Keefe played, as well as all-rounder Glenn Maxwell.

Victorian speedy miser Scott Boland dumped Kuhnemann after playing a major role in Nagpur last week.

After being ruled out for the first Test, Travis Head replaced Matt Renshaw after the selectors said they valued the part-time departure of the World No. 4 bowler.