IND vs AUS 4th Test: Khawaja-Green's Record Stand Propels Australia To 480; India Trail By 444 At Stumps On Day 2

IND vs AUS 4th Test: Khawaja and Green added 208 runs for the fifth wicket in the first innings which helped Australia post 480.

India's Ravichandran Ashwin (L) celebrates with teammates after the dismissal of Australia's Cameron Green (not pictured) during the second day of the fourth and final Test cricket match between India and Australia at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on March 10, 2023. ( Image Source :AFP )

Ahmedabad: While the Day 1 completely belonged to Australia in the fourth Test match of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, the two unbeaten batters from Day 1 Usman Khawaja and Cameron Green continued to pile on the runs as the the visitors played out a second wicketless session in this Test, the first on Friday.

The two batters did not give anything away to the opposition bowlers and went back to Lunch, adding 92 runs and without getting separated with the scoreboard reading 347/4. However, that seemed to be the only session on the second day that completely belonged to Australia. Off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin then picked each of the three wickets to fall in the second session in quick succession to first break a 208-run stand between Khawaja and Green before removing Peter Handscomb and Mitchell Starc. 

By the time Green went back to the pavilion, he had already brought up his maiden Test match century and played a great part in what could turn out to be a match-defining partnership. However, Khawaja continued which was the team's major concern heading into the Tea session. But the left-handed batter's 422-ball marathon effort (180) was brought to an end first ball after Tea with him missing a straight ball that hit his pads.

Thereafter, Nathan Lyon and Todd Murphy's 70-run ninth wicket partnership did frustrate the Indian side before Ashwin came back to pick the remaining two wicket, ending with a six-wicket haul for 91 runs in this innings. 

In exactly what was expected from the Indian openers, Rohit Sharma (17*) and Shubman Gill (18*) came back to the dressing room at stumps ensuring that 10 wickets remain intact as they reduced the deficit by 36 runs as they trail by 444 runs. Gill scored the first six of the match so far with a maximum in the last over of the match which sent the message loud and clear that the hosts will continue with a positive approach despite a mountain of runs ahead of them.