Cowan finds lack of DRS a real turn-off

Australia 277-6 India

Australia batsman Ed Cowan spent hours patiently seeing off India's attack as he crafted a half-century on his debut in the Boxing Day Test but was quickly on the front foot after stumps, when he told cricket's governing body to get its house in order over the decision review system.

The 29-year-old opener said that the lack of replay technology had cost him and Mike Hussey their wickets as Australia were confined to 277 for 6 on the opening day of the first Test at the MCG.

"You saw the replays, you saw my reaction, you join the dots I guess," he told reporters after his debut century attempt ended on 68 with a caught-behind decision off spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, a decision that carried a degree of doubt according to replays.

"With the DRS... as someone who loves their cricket and has watched a lot of cricket, I can't understand why it can't be handed down by the ICC to be uniform at all games. And that's me speaking as an outsider, not as someone who has been in the bubble for a long time."

India's cricket board vetoed the use of the technology, leaving Cowan with no recourse. Hussey, whose place in the team is again under threat, walked disgustedly from the field after Marias Erasmus ruled him caught behind for a duck off Zaheer Khan – replays indicated the ball hit his shoulder.

Cowan was delighted with his 113-run stand with former captain Ricky Ponting, which helped Australia recover after they were wobbling on 46 for 2 in overcast conditions after winning the toss and opting to bat first.

Cowan has been in career-best form in domestic cricket since moving to Tasmania from New South Wales. His tour diary of the season was also turned into a book and he now has enough fodder for another chapter after top-scoring at the MCG in front of a crowd of 70,000: "People in the media were eulogising me being a journeyman. But to me, being selected felt like the start of a career, not as though this is the end. Hopefully, I can keep scoring runs."

Brad Haddin and Peter Siddle shared an innings-steadying 63-run partnership in the last session for Australia. India paceman Umesh Yadav returned the tourists' best figures with 3 for 96.