IND V AUS 4th Test, Lunch Report: Smith-Warner give Australian an early advantage

Photo: AP

New Delhi: Steve Smith and David Warner counter attacked in great fashion to take Australia to 131 for 1 after losing Renshaw early at lunch on day 1 of the fourth and final India-Australia Test at Dharamsala.

India missed regular captain Virat Kohli, who was sidelined due to a shoulder injury on every moment of the first session. (Who said there's no Virat Kohli in the fourth India-Australia Test?) Stand-in captain Rahane appeared clueless in front of the Steve-Warner onslaught. 

India got an early break, when Umesh Yadav castled Australia’s best opener of the series Matt Renshaw with a superb delivery that came back in from good length. Australia were 10/1 as early as the second over of the day but that was it for the session. Smith and Warner then launched a relentless attack on the Indian bowlers.

The story however, could have been different had the edges which flew off Warner’s bat found an Indian fielder. Warner went to on register his first half-century of the series.

Smith though, looked a class apart with his assured footwork and superb hand-eye coordination. He covered Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s swing by shuffling across the stumps and used depth of the crease to perfection to negate Umesh Yadav’s extra pace. 

On a pitch which looks the best batting track of the series, Australia are off to flier with Smith (72) and Warner (54) showing little signs of taking the foot off the paddle.