Australia’s batsmen attempted to put aside off-field security tensions as they raced to 2-126 at lunch on day one of the first Test against India on Friday.

Cricket Australia chief James Sutherland spent the night before the match in talks with the Indian board following twin bomb blasts in Hyderabad – the host city of the second Test starting on March 2 – which claimed the lives of at least 20 people.

“At this stage I wouldn’t be calling into question things going ahead in Hyderabad as planned,” Sutherland said.

Australia won the toss and batted on a Chennai on a pitch that’s already crumbling into red dust in just two hours of play.

Shane Watson is 28 not out at lunch while opener David Warner, batting with a fractured thumb, smashed six fours in his unbeaten 58.

Warner and Watson have added 54 for the third wicket.

Ed Cowan and Watson shared a 64-run opening stand before Cowan on 29 charged down the pitch and was stumped from the bowling of offspinner Ravi Ashwin (2-30).

Following Australia’s pre-match comments about the need to dominate the spinners and not allow them to settle into a rhythm, Cowan clubbed four fours and a six off 45 deliveries.

Ashwin claimed a second scalp when Phil Hughes on six played an ugly cut shot and dragged the ball onto his stumps at 2-72.

Warner was dropped on 18 at slip off the bowling of Ashwin, who also missed a caught-and-bowled chance off Warner’s blade on 44.