Jason Gillespie removed Gautam Gambhir with a fine delivery

Persistent drizzle allowed for only 11 overs of play on day one of the fourth Test in Mumbai but Australia were able to seize an advantage.

India won the toss and elected to bat, but contrived to lose two wickets.

Virender Sehwag, having played a series of loose drives, was bowled through the gate by Glenn McGrath for eight.

Jason Gillespie then dismissed Gautam Gambhir, who was trapped bang in front of middle stump and adjudged lbw as India slumped to 22-2.

Play did not start until 2pm local time after an interlude of dry weather, but by then the drizzle was beginning to return and it refused to go away.

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The umpires suspended proceedings after just four overs and there was to be no further cricket until very late in the day, when seven more overs were bowled under floodlights.

In that time Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid withstood the barrage from Gillespie and McGrath, Dravid adding an off-driven four for good measure.

The first 24 deliveries on a truncated first day were packed with incident.

Debutant Nathan Hauritz dropped a tough, diving chance at gully in the first over as Sehwag, on nought, edged a drive off McGrath.

INDIA v AUSTRALIA - PAST TESTS IN MUMBAI 1979 India won by inns & 100 runs 1986 Match drawn 2001 Australia won by 10 wickets Photos: More day one action

Sehwag played two more attacking shots off the front foot without conviction, beaten by Gillespie and edging McGrath aerially and into a gap on the off-side for a streaky boundary.

A fourth ungainly waft finally brought about his downfall, and the very next ball Gambhir fell to Gillespie to a ball that pitched on middle and leg and straightened on the left-hander.

Until then the 23-year-old left-hander from Delhi had looked composed on his debut.

India had gone into the match desperate to restore some pride having already lost the series.

Regular captain Sourav Ganguly was still missing for the home side, who elected to play three front-line spinners. Sachin Tendulkar may have to open the bowling for them.

Wicket-keeper Dinesh Karthik, at just 19, was one of three players to make his debut, along with Gambhir and Hauritz.

Australia were without Shane Warne after he broke a thumb in the nets, but skipper Ricky Ponting returned to lead the side after recovering from a similar injury.

McGrath and Michael Kasprowicz both shook off a virus to make starts, and Queensland off-spinner Hauritz, aged 23, replaced Warne.

India: Rahul Dravid (capt), Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, Sachin Tendulkar, VVS Laxman, Mohammad Kaif, Dinesh Karthik (wkt), Anil Kumble, Harbhajan Singh, Murali Kartik, Zaheer Khan.

Australia: Ricky Ponting (capt), Matthew Hayden, Justin Langer, Damien Martyn, Michael Clarke, Simon Katich, Adam Gilchrist (wkt), Jason Gillespie, Michael Kasprowicz, Glenn McGrath, Nathan Hauritz.

Umpires: Rudi Koertzen (SA), Aleem Dar (Pkn)