There are bad days at the office.

And then there’s Steve Smith’s first day as Australian Test captain.

How bad?

Shane Watson – a player who it seems has ticked every injury box except spontaneous combustion – emerged as Australia’s fittest bowler on a day that promised to be one to remember for Smith, only to quickly become one to forget.

India cruised to 4-311 by stumps on the first day of the second Test at the Gabba as Australia’s attack almost became a game of last man standing.

Allrounder Mitch Marsh (hamstring) won’t bowl again this Test and may struggle to bat.

Left-arm quick Mitchell Starc succumbed to the scorching Gabba heat before returning to the field, only to later complain of back and rib niggles.

Test debutant speedster Josh Hazlewood (2-44) did not last the day due to severe cramps.

And pace spearhead Mitchell Johnson wasn’t 100 per cent as he battled the humidity and a finger ligament complaint.

Oh, and Shaun Marsh dropped Murali Vijay off Johnson not once but twice before the Indian opener finally fell for 144 – equalling the highest Test score by an Indian at the Gabba.

India’s total was shy of the highest score made on the opening day of a Gabba Test – Australia’s 2-364 in the 2002 Ashes series.

At least Smith did not win the toss and send his rivals into bat like Nasser Hussain 12 years ago.

Other than that, Smith’s day went okay.

“Tough day for the Aussies in the Gabba heat,” Test legend Shane Warne tweeted.

“Aust didn’t win a session on Day 1, rare !!”

Former Australian Test quick Jason Gillespie later tweeted: “It’s not the first time and certainly won’t be the last time that bowlers will face energy sapping conditions at the Gabbatoir.”

Still, Australia’s 26-year unbeaten streak at the Gabba looks under threat against one of Test cricket’s worst tourists.

India have never won a Gabba Test – then again they have only contested five in Brisbane since 1947.
And returning captain MS Dhoni has won just six out of 28 Tests outside India.

If they lose the three remaining Tests, Dhoni will become the most defeated captain away from home in the game’s history.

Yet Dhoni earned first day honours over Smith on Wednesday.

Still, Australia’s 45th Test skipper Smith – replacing the injured Michael Clarke (hamstring) – earned high-profile fans.

Former skipper Ian Chappell told Fairfax stand-in Smith should keep the national job even if Clarke returned.

And for the record, a clearly bored Clarke claimed Smith was “doing a very good job” amongst the scores of tweets he entered on Wednesday as he laid up in bed recovering from hamstring surgery.

– AAP