Australia’s bowlers were hit to all parts of Chennai’s Guru Nanak College Ground on Saturday as India A reached 2-220 at tea on day one of their three-day match.

In a match billed as a bowl-off between Australia’s three frontline spinners, dumped India Test opener Gautam Gambhir stole the show with a classy knock of 112 in 224 minutes with 13 fours and three sixes.

Spinners Nathan Lyon (0-82 off 18 overs), Xavier Doherty (1-33 off seven) and 19-year-old Ashton Agar (0-54 off seven) endured mixed fortunes and learnt some more harsh lessons about the small margin for error available for slow bowlers on India’s turning pitches.

The 54-Test veteran Gambhir posted his 33rd first-class hundred with a lofted cover-drive off the bowling of Lyon to reach his century off 144 deliveries.

Gambhir fell at 2-195 to Moises Henriques after edging a ball to Shane Watson at slip.

Henriques (1-13 off seven) and fellow quicks Mitchell Starc (0-21 off 11) and Peter Siddle (0-11 off nine) were far more economical than the spinners.

On 42 at lunch, Gambhir had raced to 54 immediately after the interval with two consecutive sixes off the bowing of Agar in the teenager’s first over of the match.

The 31-year-old Gambhir added 67 for the first wicket with Jiwanjot Singh, who was caught at slip for 24 off the bowling of Doherty.

Gambhir shared a second-wicket partnership of 128 with Rohit Sharma who was 60 not out at tea with Manoj Tiwary on 16.

Australia’s captain Michael Clarke (hamstring) and opener David Warner (thumb) have been rested ahead of the first Test.

Warner had a minor breakthrough on Saturday by having his first batting session of the week, which lasted for about an hour without mishap according to a team spokesman.

Clarke has been on a running program this week and has a couple of batting sessions under his belt.