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Australia are preparing for their most important day of Test cricket under Pat Cummins' captaincy as they try to tame India's batting attack in Delhi.

After posting a modest 263, Australia will need to bowl exceptionally well to restrict the hosts on a pitch without many demons at Arjun Jaitley Stadium.

India could all but bat Australia out of the four-Test Border-Gavaskar series with a commanding day in the middle on Saturday.

Australia were destroyed by an innings and 132 runs last week in Nagpur, giving the trophy holders a crucial 1-0 series lead.

If Australia lose in the Indian capital, any prospect of conquering the final frontier will be all over midway through the series.

Australia's bold gamble to experiment with playing Cummins as their only recognised quick will be put to the ultimate test after the tourists opted to include Queensland spinner Matt Kuhnemann.

Kuhnemann was playing in front of barely a 100 fans at the Sheffield Shield less than a week ago, but the left-armer opened the bowling as Australia's 466th Test cricketer alongside Cummins on Friday.

The 26-year-old is playing as a third spinner alongside first Test sensation Todd Murphy and veteran Nathan Lyon after being called into the squad six days ago to replace Queensland teammate Mitchell Swepson.

The last time Australia picked three spinners was against Bangladesh in 2017 when Lyon, Ashton Agar and Steve O'Keefe played, as well as allrounder Glenn Maxwell.

Miserly Victorian quick Scott Boland dropped out for Kuhnemann after playing an important role in Nagpur last week.

"I was very nervous for Matthew (Kuhnemann) - he's from my home state of Queensland, I've captained him a lot," Khawaja said.

"He's a terrific young player, a terrific young person and he's a competitor, that's one thing I love about him, he loves being in the contest.

"He would have been nervous but you couldn't really tell, he was on his mark straightaway.

"It was a great start for him, he looked like he was in the game, he created a few half-chances."

© AAP 2023

Short-changed savers have been urged to shop around and keep pressure on banks to offer competitive rates.

Reserve Bank governor Philip Lowe has told savers to switch to a better deal if their interest rates don't reflect the 325-basis point cumulative increase to the official cash rate since May last year.

"If Australians switch, then the banks have to respond," he told a parliamentary committee on Friday.

Banks have been quick to pass interest rates to mortgage holders in full but slow to do the same for savers, prompting an investigation by the consumer watchdog.

Dr Lowe said savers should be aiming for an ongoing interest rate of at least four per cent, which would trigger competition from banks as already seen in the cut-throat home loan market.

Several major banks have started bowing to pressure to up their rates for savers.

RateCity analysis shows three of the big four banks have boosted interest rates above the 25 basis point increase on key deposit accounts since the February cash rate hike.

RateCity research director Sally Tindall said consumers were missing out on generous interest payments by failing to switch.

The firm's analysis showed a saver could earn $1148 a year on $25,000 with a 4.8 per cent interest rate, compared to just $213 on the same sum at a 0.85 per cent rate.

"The big banks might have pulled their socks up this month but that still doesn't mean every one of their savings customers is now on a cracking rate," she said.

© AAP 2023

Australia's Border-Gavaskar trophy hopes are delicately poised after they fought their way to a modest first innings of 263 in the second Test against India in Delhi.

India openers Rohit Sharma (13 no) and KL Rahul (four no) survived a tricky nine-over spell before stumps on Friday's opening day to guide the hosts to 0-21 at Arun Jaitely Stadium.

Sharma was given out off Nathan Lyon's bowling in the final over, but the India captain successfully overturned the decision.

After captain Pat Cummins won his eighth-straight toss, Australia built more of a platform than in Nagpur last week, when they capitulated to an innings and 132-run defeat.

Resilient knocks from Usman Khawaja (81) and Peter Handscomb (72 no) helped Australian to almost surpass their two combined innings from the first Test.

The tourists would have hoped for a higher score on a pitch holding few demons but the total was perhaps better than expected after they'd slumped to 3-91 and 6-168.

"I don't know a par score until India bats on it," Khawaja said.

"They're very good in their conditions.

"I think now we have three spinners in the team, especially on that wicket, is going to be challenging, just like their spinners were very challenging."

Australia have made some bold and at times puzzling selections already in this four-Test series, but they are already vindicated by the decision to recall Handscomb.

The Victorian delivered one of his finest performances in a baggy green by thwarting India's imposing attack.

Handscomb combined for a 61-run fifth-wicket stand with Khawaja as the pair appeared to turn the momentum in Australia's favour.

But after losing 2-0 in three balls in the first session, Australia lost 2-1 soon before the tea break as Alex Carey was dismissed without scoring.

It was first-Test stars Ravichandran Ashwin (3-57) and Ravi Jadeja (3-68) who landed the important blows by taking the prized scalps of Marnus Labuschange and Steve Smith.

Khawaja's enterprising knock came to an end in stunning fashion, with India opener KL Rahul hanging onto a diving, mid-air catch as the home crowd erupted as the 36-year-old finished 19 runs short of a famous century.

Khawaja's opening partner David Warner fell for 15 to end a torturous innings where he was hit on the helmet and elbow in separate incidents.

After India took 15 of Australia's 20 wickets in Nagpur with spin, fast bowler Mohammed Shami bowled tirelessly to finish with figures of 4-60.

Australia's bold gamble to experiment with playing Cummins as their only recognised quick will be put to the ultimate test on Saturday, after the tourists opted to include Queensland spinner Matt Kuhnemann.

Kuhnemann was playing in front of barely a 100 fans at the Sheffield Shield less than a week ago, but the left-armer opened the bowling alongside Cummins in the Indian capital.

The 26-year-old is playing as a third spinner alongside first Test sensation Todd Murphy and veteran Nathan Lyon after being called into the squad six days ago to replace Queensland teammate Mitchell Swepson.

The last time Australia picked three spinners was against Bangladesh in 2017 when Lyon, Ashton Agar and Steve O'Keefe played, as well as allrounder Glenn Maxwell.

Miserly Victorian quick Scott Boland dropped out for Kuhnemann after playing an important role in Nagpur last week.

After being dropped for the first Test, Travis Head replaced Matt Renshaw after selectors said they valued the world's No.4 ranked bowler's part-time offspin.

© AAP 2023