Glenelg, Australia: Varun Aaron was the pick of the Indian attack as India bundled out CA XI for 219 on opening day in Adelaide in their first tour opener.
Opener Shikhar Dhawan fell cheaply but India otherwise enjoyed a satisfactory hit-out on Monday in their first taste on tour of Australian conditions.
Express paceman Varun Aaron impressed at Gliderol Stadium in the Adelaide suburb of Glenelg, as India started a two-day game by restricting Cricket Australia XI to 219.
In response, India reached stumps at 1-55 with Dhawan out edging from the bowling of left-arm fast bowler Josh Lalor for 10 in the seventh over.
It was the only Indian wicket to fall, Murali Vijay (32 not out) and Cheteshwar Pujara (13 not out) seeing out the 16 overs.
Aaron was not given the new ball but he finished the day with 3-72 from 17 overs.
Fellow quicks Mohammed Shami and Bhuvneshwar Kumar grabbed two wickets each.
Aaron's opening spell of six overs went for 15 runs and featured the scalps of CA XI captain Ashton Turner and Queensland's Nick Stevens.
The right-armer, clocked at 152.1 km/h during a recent one-day international against Sri Lanka, returned later to remove Alex Gregory.
He did however cop some late punishment from Harry Nielsen, son of former Australia coach Tim, and NSW quick Harry Conway.
Nielsen finished 43no from 30 balls, the pair putting on a final-wicket stand of 52 runs.
Pace and bounce, the same issues that have troubled so many Indian batsmen on past Australian tours, were Aaron's biggest assets.
The 25-year-old paceman is playing for the first time since injuring his quad in the opening clash of India's recent five-game ODI series.
Opener Ryan Carters, one of only a few players with first-class experience in the CA XI, top-scored with 58.
Plenty of Indian fans came to see thier stars take on a CA XI at Glenelg.
The visitors are playing a pair of two-day matches to warm up for the four-Test series, with the next starting at Adelaide Oval on Friday.
Wicketkeeper Nielsen earned a late call-up to the CA XI, replacing Seb Gotch (virus).
"We'd love to put in two good performances against the Indians and make them think about how they're going to go out here and how tough it is in Australian conditions," Carters said before the match.
"Of course, they're a much more experienced side than we are, but any kind of small wins that we can inflict will be great.
"I've seen them all play before and I'm looking forward to seeing what kind of team they roll out."
Carters promised his side would play attacking cricket and make it a competitive game.
India have never won a Test series in Australia.
Stand-in skipper Virat Kohli suggested shot selection would be key if the visitors were to buck that trend.
"That's what I saw last time. You need a lot more patience compared to back home," said Kohli, one of the few batsmen to fire in India's 4-0 series loss in 2011-12.
"You've got to pick the right balls to hit ... it does quite a bit, especially on these tracks.
"But I think Australia is a great place to bat on, once you get in.
"The guys need to realise that and play themselves in."
Kohli said every member of India's touring party was fit and available to play on Monday, with the obvious exception of captain MS Dhoni.
