The stage was set and the weather was clear for the ICC World Test Championship Final between India and Australia

Ross Taylor, who played a key role in New Zealand's World Test Championship win in 2021, unveiled the mace before the toss

India won the toss and opted to bowl first on a green seamer, under cloudy skies and a Dukes ball to boot

Usman Khawaja was dismissed by Mohammed Siraj, caught behind by an away-seamer for just 2

Labuschagne survived a couple of blows to the glove, and a couple of LBW shouts as he rebuilt the innings with David Warner

Warner, in typical style, blazed away, taking apart a lackluster Umesh Yadav and the odd loosener from Thakur

Just when it looked like it was slipping away from India, Warner nicked a pull to Bharat and Thakur got a well-deserved wicket, resulting in a stalemate of a first session.

Mohammed Shami knocked over Marnus Labuschagne off his first ball after the lunch break

Steve Smith copped a few after playing cross-batted shots on a pitch offering uneven bounce

However, Travis Head was positive, counterattacking after a flurry of wickets, and scoring at a strike-rate of over 130!

Travis Head got to his fifty off 60 balls, to lead Australia's rescue act with Steve Smith, as conditions started to ease for the batters at the Oval

Travis Head got to his hundred off 106 deliveries as he battered the Indian bowlers indiscriminately, putting Australia firmly ahead in the WTC Final

Australia ended the day firmly ahead, at 327-3, as Smith and Head put on an unbeaten 251-run stand on Day 1