IND Vs AUS, 4th Test LIVE: Usman Khawaja Australia's Hero On Day 1, Visitors Post 255/4
IND vs AUS, 4th Test: Follow and refresh this page for live updates.
LIVE
Background
Hello and welcome to ABP's live coverage of the 4th Test between Indian and Australia. India is leading the series 2-1. However, the hosts need to secure an outright victory in the final Test to qualify for the final of the ICC World Test Championship. Should they quality, India will be up against the same opponent in the clash for the coveted Test crown. The championship clash will be staged in London from June 7 onwards.
Hello from the world's largest cricket stadium - the Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad 🏟️👋#TeamIndia are all set to take on Australia in the fourth #INDvAUS Test 👌👌@GCAMotera | @mastercardindia pic.twitter.com/9IITpGMUNJ
— BCCI (@BCCI) March 9, 2023
Australia have confirmed that stand-in skipper Steve Smith will continue to captain the team for the final Border-Gavaskar Test against India in Ahmedabad.
Steve Smith stood in as captain for Australia after Pat Cummins flew back home after the second Test in Delhi. Cummins will remain at home in Sydney to be at the side of his mother Maria, who is in palliative care due to breast cancer. Smith filled in for Cummins as captain in Indore and led Australia to their first Test win on tour. With Nathan Lyon leading the way with a 10-wicket match haul, the visitors spun their way to a nine-wicket victory at the Holkar Stadium.
India had won the first Test at Nagpur by an innings and 132 runs and followed it up with a six-wicket win in the second Test at Delhi. Both Tests got over in a span of three days. However, the visitors bounced back admirably to win the third Test at Indore nine wickets inside three days, thereby avoiding a series whitewash.
India's Test squad for the fourth Test: Rohit Sharma (Captain), K L Rahul, Shubman Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, KS Bharat (wk), Ishan Kishan (wk), Ravichandran Ashwin, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohd. Shami, Mohd. Siraj, Shreyas Iyer, Suryakumar Yadav, Umesh Yadav and Jaydev Unadkat.
STUMPS, DAY 1
KHAWAJA GETS TO HIS MAIDEN HUNDRED IN AND AGAINST INDIA. What a knock from the left-handed opener. He batted over 200 balls to get to the landmark as Australia end Day 1 on 255/4. Khawaja stayed unbeaten on 104 while Cameron Green also played a great cameo in the final session to end on 49 off 64 balls.
New Ball Proving To Be Costly For India
India opted for the New Ball but runs have come thick and fast ever since. 34 runs came between overs 81-85 being bowled by the pace bowling duo of Umeshh Yadav and Mohammed Siraj.
Khawaja Approaching A Hundred
Khawaja approaching a Hundred in this Test match. What a fine innings this has been. Runs may have been hard to come by for Australia as the current run rate of less than 2.50 runs per over might suggest by they have 6 wickets in hand. Australia- 201/4 after 81 overs. (Khawaja- 99*, Cameron Green- 12*).
WICKET!!!! Shami Removes Handscomb
There's another wicket for India. Shami gets his second wicket as rattles the stumps of the right-handed batter. The batter completely played for the wrong line there as the leader of the Indian pace attack manages to beat his outside edge and hit the timber. Two wickets in quick succession now for India. Australia- 170/4.
Jadeja Dismisses Steve Smith Post Tea, Visitors At 152/3 In Ahmedabad
Ravindra Jadeja dismissed Australian captain Steve Smith for 38 against the run of play. Visitors at 153/3 after 65 overs.