250 a good first innings total on this track: Cheteshwar Pujara

India vs Australia 1st Test: India's No.3 Cheteshwar Pujara on Thursday said his gritty hundred in the opening Test against Australia ranks among the top five of his 16 centuries in the longest format.

Rating his 123-run inning on Day 1 of the first India vs Australia Test match at Adelaide Oval as one of his top five innings, Cheteshwar Pujara stated that 250 was a good first innings total as the pitch on offer is not as easy to bat as it looks from outside.

Pujara's 16th Test hundred and first in Australia helped India recover to 250/9 at stumps after they had been reduced to 127/6 at one stage.

“It is not an easy wicket to bat on,” Pujara said at the end of first day’s play. “I would say it is a decent total because there is enough turn. Ashwin will also come into play.

“Sometimes when you are seeing it on TV, it doesn't look like it is doing a lot. But when I batted in the first and second sessions, I felt it wasn't easy to bat on and with our fast bowlers, I will share my experience of what line and length to bowl on this pitch.”

This was the second overseas hundred for Pujara this year, after his effort in Southampton against England. He also scored fighting half-centuries in the two Test wins at Johannesburg (against South Africa) and Nottingham (against England).

"It (Thursday's knock) is one of my top innings in Test cricket, I could say top five. I can't rate if it was one of the best but the teammates were appreciating, they were saying it was one of the best," Pujara said.

India failed to capitalize after captain Virat Kohli won a crucial toss on Thursday morning. India’s top four including Kohli himself were out chasing wide full deliveries offered by the Australian pace trio of Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins. India at one stage were tottering at 41 for 4 when Pujara found brief support from Rohit Sharma that saw them through to lunch.

Rohit too was dismissed after lunch in his attempt to clear the ropes off Nathan Lyon for the second time in a row, followed by Pant (25), leaving Pujara a difficult task to bat with the tail.

"It has to be different because when you are batting with the tail, you never know how long can they bat. You have to take your chances but you can't do the same when you are batting with a (top order) batsman. When you are just 1 or 2 down, you can't play the same shots.

"Also, the difference is, I had batted for two sessions and I knew what the pace and bounce of the pitch was. I was set, so I could play my shots. I was a bit disappointed but I had to take that single because only last two balls were left and I wanted to be on strike. I took the chance but Pat Cummins fielded brilliantly," he said about the run out which brought an end to his innings.

India’s No. 3 conceived that the top-order should have taken more responsibility.

"We should have batted better but they also bowled well in the first two sessions. I knew that I had to stay patient and wait for the loose balls. The way they bowled, they bowled in the right areas. I also felt that our top order should have batted better but they will learn from the mistakes," he said.

"Hopefully we will bat well in the second innings,” Pujara added.