Tag: Australia vs India

AHMEDABAD: Virat Kohli hit his first Test century in more than three years with a towering 186 as India batted themselves out of danger of a series-levelling defeat to Australia in the fourth Test on Sunday.

The hosts finished their first innings on 571 to overhaul Australia’s 480 and get a first-innings lead of 91 on another run-filled day four at the world’s biggest cricket stadium in Ahmedabad.

Kohli was the last man out after he fell to Todd Murphy in the final session of play as India lost their ninth wicket and Shreyas Iyer did not bat due to back pain.

Australia reached three for no loss at stumps with Travis Head getting the runs while alongside nightwatchman Matthew Kuhnemann.

The left-handed Kuhnemann made a surprise entry to the crease after opener Usman Khawaja, who hit 180 in Australia’s innings, did not come out to bat after getting hurt on the field.

Kohli ruled the day with his 28th Test ton after he got a single off spinner Nathan Lyon in the second session to bring the house down as fans went wild with celebration.

Kohli, who now has 75 international tons across three international formats, kissed his locket before looking up to the sky.

Resuming on 59 after reaching his first Test half-century on Saturday since January 2022, the landmark came after a patient innings of 241 balls.

Kohli then hit a flurry of fours after reaching his hundred and along with an attacking Axar Patel, who made 79, put on a marathon stand of 162 for the sixth wicket.

Khawaja attempted to catch an Axar six at the boundary but could not stay inside the rope, hurting his foot in the process and limping off the field.

Kohli got past 150 after tea and Axar raised his third half-century of the series to wear down the opposition bowlers on a pitch vastly different from the rank turners in the previous three matches.

Spinners Lyon and Murphy bowled 110.5 overs between to get three wickets each on another day of hard grind for the bowlers.

Axar went into fifth gear after his fifty as he slogged and smashed Kuhnemann for two sixes in an over before being bowled off an inside edge by Mitchell Starc.

Kohli lost his overnight partner Ravindra Jadeja for 28 in the morning session and Srikar Bharat fell in the afternoon after the wicketkeeper-batsman hit 44 in an 84-run partnership with the former captain.

Iyer didn’t come out to bat after he went for scans following complaints of lower back pain after the end of day three.

Opener Shubman Gill led India’s strong reply on Saturday with his 128 before he fell to Lyon, who returned with figures of 3-151 from 65 overs.

India need a win to clinch the series and be sure of a berth in the World Test Championship final in June.

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AHMEDABAD: Shubman Gill’s sparkling century and an unbeaten 59 by Virat Kohli kept India strong in their first innings reply against a persistent Australian spin attack in the fourth Test on Saturday.

India reached 289-3 at stumps, still trailing Australia’s 480 by 191 runs on day three at the world’s biggest cricket stadium in Ahmedabad.

Gill stood out with his 128 — the opener’s second Test ton — as he built key partnerships including a 113-run stand for the second wicket with Cheteshwar Pujara, who made 42.

Spinners kept coming back with wickets as Nathan Lyon, Matthew Kuhnemann and Todd Murphy took one each on a pitch favouring the batsmen.

The 23-year-old Gill, who replaced a struggling KL Rahul in the third Test, hit 12 fours and one big six in a good show of batting to surpass his previous Test best of 110.

He finally fell lbw to Lyon’s off spin in the final session before Kohli took charge along with the left-handed Ravindra Jadeja, on 16, to see off the day’s play.

Kohli reached his first Test half-century since January 2022 after a jittery start to his innings when he got off the mark on the 12th ball.

Australia delayed taking the second new ball, available to the fielding side after the 80th over, by 14 overs.

Earlier Gill overcame a tough spell of run-making in the second session to raise his ton with a fine sweep off Murphy, taking a bow as the raucous weekend crowd applauded, but lost his partner Pujara four balls later.

Murphy trapped Pujara lbw, ending a stand which prospered after skipper Rohit Sharma fell to Kuhnemann’s left-arm spin for 35 in the morning session.

Australia’s stand-in-skipper Steve Smith rotated his bowlers, who remained disciplined in their line and length to test the batsmen’s patience for much of the hot afternoon.

Gill broke the shackles with two successive boundaries off Cameron Green to bring the crowd alive with delightful cover drives.

India started the day on 36-0 and kept attacking.

Mitchell Starc bowled to plan with his short balls and a heavy leg-side field, but Rohit took on the challenge as he smashed the left-arm quick for a four and a six at long leg.

The pitch has been vastly different from the viciously spinning tracks in the previous three Tests and Usman Khawaja made Australia take early advantage with his 180.

India lead the four-match series 2-1 after Australia won the third Test.

The hosts need a win to clinch the series and secure a berth in the World Test Championship final in June.

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AHMEDABAD: Opener Usman Khawaja hit a masterful 180 and Cameron Green struck a maiden century before Australia were bowled out for 480 by India on day two of the fourth Test on Friday.

Khawaja’s mammoth knock off 422 balls and his 208-run fifth-wicket partnership with Green put the tourists in the box seat in Ahmedabad.

Off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin led the Indian attack, claiming six wickets on a pitch still looking good for batting at the world’s biggest cricket stadium.

India reached 36 for no loss at stumps, still trailing the tourists by 444 runs.

Skipper Rohit Sharma, on 17, and Shubman Gill, on 18, looked positive and attacked the Australian spinners, who bowled five of the 10 overs before close of play.

The opening pair smashed four boundaries between them including a big six by Gill off senior Australia spinner Nathan Lyon.

Khawaja stood out in his marathon knock which ended on the first ball after tea when Axar Patel trapped the left-hander lbw, a decision that was denied by the on-field umpire but successfully reviewed by India.

Todd Murphy (41) and Lyon (34) kept the Indian bowlers frustrated in a 70-run stand for the ninth wicket before Ashwin broke through for his 32nd five-wicket haul in Tests.

Ashwin trapped Murphy lbw before dismissing Lyon to wrap up the innings.

In what has been a low-scoring series, giant all-rounder Green got his first international hundred with a boundary in the second session and was greeted with a hug from Khawaja.

Ashwin snared two wickets in one over after a wicketless first session for the hosts.

He broke the Khawaja-Green stand — Australia’s highest Test partnership in India since 1979 — after he got Green caught behind for 114 off a delivery sliding down the leg side.

Khawaja, who struck his first Indian Test ton on day one and 14th overall, kept up the grind to break the Australian record for longest Test innings in India.

The previous record was Graham Yallop’s 392-ball knock in Kolkata, also in 1979.

Khawaja resumed on his overnight 104 and took charge after Australia elected to bat in their bid to square the series 2-2.

The hosts need a win to clinch the four-match series and secure a berth in the World Test Championship final in June at The Oval.

Steve Smith is captaining Australia in the absence of regular Test skipper Pat Cummins.

Australia’s players wore black armbands on Friday after it was announced that Cummins’ mother had died.

DUBAI: The Indore pitch used for the third Test between India and Australia has been marked as “poor” and handed three demerit points, the International Cricket Council announced on Friday. 

The match, which was dominated from the start by spin bowling, ended midway through the opening session on day three with Australia winning by nine wickets.

“The pitch, which was very dry, did not provide a balance between bat and ball, favouring spinners from the start,” match referee Chris Broad wrote in his report.

“The fifth ball of the match broke through the pitch surface and continued to occasionally break the surface providing little or no seam movement and there was excessive and uneven bounce throughout the match.”

The Indian cricket board (BCCI) have 14 days in which to appeal against the sanction.

If a venue accumulates five or more demerit points, it is suspended for 12 months from hosting any international cricket.

Indore was only given two weeks to prepare for the Test after it was switched from Dharamsala where the relaid outfield was still not ready for Test cricket.

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DUBAI: Following their comprehensive win by nine wickets in the third Test against India, Australia secured their spot in the World Test Championship (WTC) Final, scheduled from June 7 to 11 at the Oval, London.

Australia won 11 out of the 18 Tests played during the 2021-23 WTC cycle and became the first team to qualify for the final with a competition still wide open for the second spot.

The visitors bounced back forcefully in the third Test and made India taste their own medicine as they sealed the victory in just three days on the back of a phenomenal spin attack.

Australia folded India for 109 on day one with spinner Matthew Kuhnemann leading the charge with five wickets. In reply, they made a solid start before collapsing to 197 all out before lunch on day two with their last six wickets tumbling for just 11 runs.

Eight wickets for spinner Nathan Lyon saw India bundled out for 163 in their second innings, setting up a victory target of 76 which they chased easily for the loss of opener Usman Khawaja on day three.

“That victory has helped Australia amass an impressive 68.52 of their possible WTC points,” said International Cricket Council in a media release on Friday, adding, “They will finish the current period in first place on the World Test Championship standings regardless of the result in the final Test of their ongoing series against India.”

India, who are still second on the standings with 60.29 points, will seal the WTC final spot if they win the fourth Test against Australia in Ahmedabad. However, another defeat or a draw will leave their chances dependent on the remaining fixtures of the outgoing cycle.

“Sri Lanka have two Tests to play away from home against New Zealand this month and know they have to complete a 2-0 series sweep over the Kiwis to have any chance of snatching a spot in the WTC Final,” ICC added.

Remaining ICC World Test Championship Fixtures

South Africa v West Indies (Second Test) – Johannesburg, South Africa, 8-12 March
New Zealand v Sri Lanka (First Test) – Christchurch, New Zealand, 9-13 March
India v Australia (Fourth Test) – Ahmedabad, India, 9-13 March
New Zealand v Sri Lanka (Second Test) – Wellington, New Zealand, 17-21 March

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INDORE: Travis Head and Marnus Labuschagne held their nerve on a viciously turning Indore pitch to guide Australia to a nine-wicket victory Friday and only their second Test win in India since 2004.

After Australia were thrashed in the first two Tests inside three days, the series now stands at 2-1 to the hosts with one match remaining.

Labuschagne finished on 28 not out and Head on 49, having lost opener Usman Khawaja to only the second ball of the day.

The dogged victory secured Australia a berth in the ICC World Test Championship final in June at The Oval. India will be sure of their place in the final if they win the fourth Test in Ahmedabad.

“I just tried to take it one step a time,” said Head.

“We have seen it throughout the series that with the wickets, the quality of bowling, anything can happen.

“So we were just trying to take it one ball at a time. It’s just nice to contribute.”

In a low-scoring and frenetic encounter, Australia skittled India for 109 on day one with spinner Matthew Kuhnemann giving the hosts a taste of their own medicine with five wickets.

In reply Australia made a solid start before collapsing to 197 all out before lunch on day two, their last six wickets tumbling for just 11 runs.

Eight wickets for spinner Nathan Lyon saw India bundled out for 163 in their second innings, setting up a victory target of 76.

Australia made the worst of starts with Khawaja, the hero of the first innings, out second ball of the day.

The opening batsman edged Ravichandran Ashwin to keeper Srikar Bharat for a duck.

A stunned Khawaja, who had looked supremely assured in the first innings, reviewed the decision but the dismissal was upheld — to jubilation from the noisy Indore crowd.

Virat Kohli was convinced he had caught gum-chewing Labuschagne, the world number one Test batsman, at slip off Ashwin in the seventh over but India’s review was unsuccessful.

After 45 minutes, Labuschagne and Head changed gears.

Head launched Ashwin for a six over mid-on and the next over drilled Ravindra Jadeja down the ground for a four as the shackles came off.

Labuschagne too got in the act, hitting Jadeja for a four and dismissing a short Ashwin delivery on a half-volley for four more to bring a rare Australia win in India in view.

A flurry of more boundaries quickly reduced the deficit, calmed nerves in the Australian dressing room and silenced the home crowd.

It is only the third time that India — who have won their last 15 home series – have lost a game at home in the last decade.

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INDORE: Nathan Lyon took eight wickets on Thursday to give Australia a glimmer of hope of beating India in the third Test — provided they can avoid another calamitous batting collapse.

On a dramatic day two in Indore, Australia’s batting imploded only for the tourists to fight back and bowl out India for 163, giving them a victory target of 76.

Cheteshwar Pujara top-scored with 59, caught brilliantly at slip by Australia captain Steve Smith, with Lyon taking figures of 8-64 on a treacherous spinning wicket.

Having skittled India for just 109 on day one, Australia resumed on 156-4 but collapsed to 197 all out before lunch, their last six wickets tumbling for just 11 runs.

Cameron Green and Peter Handscomb did well to survive the first hour on a pitch with unpredictable bounce, the tall Green using his long stride to neutralise India’s spin attack.

But after the drinks break, Handscomb departed for 19, caught by Shreyas Iyer at short leg off Ravichandran Ashwin, having added 12 to his overnight score.

Soon afterwards Green fell for 21, trapped lbw by Umesh Yadav, who then bowled Mitchell Starc for one, sending the left-hander’s off-stump cartwheeling towards wicketkeeper Srikar Bharat.

In a dizzying disintegration, Alex Carey then departed for three, lbw to Ashwin, seamer Umesh bowled Todd Murphy for a duck and Nathan Lyon was cleaned up by Ashwin for five.

Ashwin took 3-44 and Umesh 3-12.

India sensed their chance and openers Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill survived a tricky 10 minutes before lunch.

But after the break, Gill was beaten for spin as he tried to hit across the line and was bowled middle stump for five by Lyon.

Skipper Rohit was then trapped lbw by Lyon for 12.

Virat Kohli looked to take on Matthew Kuhnemann, who took five wickets in the first innings, cutting the spinner for a glorious four, only to be trapped lbw the following ball for 13.

This sent a hush around the rowdy Indore ground but Pujara gave the home crowd something to cheer about, reducing the deficit by smashing Kuhnemann for a succession of boundaries.

Lyon though proved a handful, particularly for Ravindra Jadeja, who was out lbw for seven just before the break to leave India reeling.

In the final session, Iyer made an entertaining 26 that included two sixes before being caught brilliantly by Usman Khawaja at short midwicket off Starc.

Bharat was bowled by Lyon for three and Ashwin fell for 16, lbw to Lyon for his fifth scalp, Australia successfully overturning a not-out decision on review.

Marnus Labuschagne dropped Pujara off Kuhnemann when he was on 50, diving to his left at short cover, getting two hands to the ball but failing to keep hold of it.

Pujara battled on, making the Australians work hard before captain Smith took a brilliant diving catch to his right at slip off the bowling of Lyon.

The very next ball Umesh was given out lbw off Lyon but was reprieved on review. The ball after that Umesh slogged to the boundary where he was caught just inside the rope by Green.

Soon afterwards, Lyon clean bowled Mohammed Siraj to give the Australian his eighth scalp, and the hapless Indian number 11 his second duck of the match.

SYDNEY: Glenn Maxwell and Mitchell Marsh are set to return from their injuries when Australia play three One-Day internationals in India next month. 

Australia named a strong 16-member squad for the ODI series on Thursday which included all-rounders Maxwell (broken leg) and Marsh (ankle injury) following their lengthy layoffs due to injuries.

Pacer Jhye Richardson has also returned to the side from a hamstring injury.

Meanwhile, David Warner, who left for the country midway through the ongoing Test tour in India, has also been named in the ODI squad.

Josh Hazlewood, however, will miss the ODI tour with the Achilles injury that forced him out of the Test series.

Pat Cummins will continue to lead Australia in India during the white-ball series as well, with experienced batters Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne also included in the squad.

According to chief selector George Bailey, the series will be important to prepare Australia  for the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup that is scheduled to take place in India later this year,

“With the World Cup just over seven months away, these matches in India are an important step in our preparation,” Bailey said.

“Glenn, Mitchell and Jhye are all important players in what we think the squad might look like come October.”

The ODI series between Australia and India will commence on March 17 in Mumbai before the remaining two matches in Vizag and Chennai on March 19 and 22, respectively.

Australia ODI squad: Pat Cummins (c), Sean Abbott, Ashton Agar, Alex Carey, Cameron Green, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Marnus Labuschagne, Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Jhye Richardson, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, David Warner, Adam Zampa

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NEW DELHI: India skipper Rohit Sharma backed his deputy KL Rahul despite an extended dry run that saw the opener fall for one Sunday during their successful second Test chase against Australia.

Rahul has failed to go past 23 in his past 10 Test innings and scored just 17 and one in the team’s six-wicket win inside three days at New Delhi.

The under-fire batsman remained unlucky in his latest dismissal after his shot hit the knee of the short-leg fielder and the ball lobbed to the wicketkeeper.

Social media was abuzz with memes lampooning Rahul’s dismissal. Veteran commentator Harsha Bhogle said it “might be time” for Shubman Gill to replace the deputy skipper in the third Test.

But Rohit said any batsman with potential will be guaranteed an “extended run”.

“It is not just about KL but anyone,” he told reporters.

“It was clear from our side that we want him to go out and play his game. We are not going to look too much into what one individual is doing, it is about how everyone needs to come together.”

Coach Rahul Dravid also backed 30-year-old Rahul to come good soon. Rahul has averaged more than 33 in 47 Tests since his debut in 2014 against Australia in Melbourne.

“I think he needs to trust his processes. This is just a phase, he has been one of our most successful overseas openers,” Dravid told broadcaster Star Sports.

“He’s got hundreds in South Africa and England, we’ll continue to back him. I believe he has the quality and class to come out of this.”

Ravindra Jadeja remained India’s hero for the second straight game after his international return from a career-threatening knee injury.

The left-arm spinner returned career-best Test figures of 7-42 and combined with Ravichandran Ashwin to pack off Australia for 113 in 31.1 overs.

Rohit lauded his man-of-the-match bowler.

“He has been brilliant. Comebacks are not easy but the confidence that guy has in his ability, that is massive. And you can see it on the field,” Rohit said of his champion performer, who passed 250 Test wickets in the match.

“There were times he was put under pressure but there was no sense of panic, he just kept relying on what he is good at and he kept doing that.”

The hosts have retained the Border-Gavaskar trophy in the four-match series and are now close to securing a spot in the World Test Championship final.

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NEW DELHI: Spinner Nathan Lyon’s five wickets and a breezy start by the batsmen gave Australia the upper hand in the second Test against India despite a counter-attacking 74 by Axar Patel on an intense second day.

India were all out for 262 after a key 114-run eighth-wicket fightback by Axar and Ravichandran Ashwin, leaving the tourists a lead of one run in New Delhi.

Australia raced to 61 for one at stumps after Ravindra Jadeja dismissed Usman Khawaja for six after a reverse sweep flew straight to leg slip.

Travis Head, on 39 with five fours and one six, and Marnus Labuschagne, on 16, were batting at the close of play with Australia leading by 62 runs in their second innings.

“We need to stop Australia to around 220-250 and I think that will be a gettable target on this pitch if we bat on day four,” Axar, a left-hand batsman and a spinner, told reporters.

“Bowlers will have to be patient and work on getting wickets, bowl in good areas even when the batsmen are scoring runs,” he added.

“In the last session they played aggressively and we noticed that.”

Number eight Axar stood out for India with his second successive Test half-century as he took on the opposition bowlers with nine fours and three sixes.

Ashwin played the anchor in his 37 before he fell to Pat Cummins, who struck with the second new ball to get the batsman caught at square leg by Matt Renshaw, a concussion substitute for David Warner.

Cummins took a stunner at mid on to end Axar’s brave knock off Todd Murphy and fellow spinner Matthew Kuhnemann ended the Indian innings in the final session.

Lyon led Australia’s charge with four wickets to rattle India in the morning and then claimed his 22nd Test five-for in an afternoon session that saw a controversial dismissal of Virat Kohli on 44.

“Today was an amazing challenge against some world-class superstars. Happy with the way I came out and the role I played,” said Lyon, who became the first Australian bowler to take 100 Test wickets against India.

Kohli was given out lbw by the on-field umpire off debutant Kuhnemann and a review declared it too close to judge whether the ball hit the bat or pad first, before tracking suggested it was hitting leg stump.

Third umpire Richard Illingworth upheld the decision, much to the surprise of Kohli, who went back dejected and was seen animated while watching replays in the pavilion.

Kohli had resisted the Australian spinners until his departure and put on a key fifth-wicket stand with the left-handed Jadeja, who fell to Murphy for 26.

But Axar seemed unfazed by the decision and India’s dire position as he took stock and then hit back with a four and six off Kuhnemann.

He kept up the attack after tea and reached his fifty with a six, ably supported by Ashwin.

The tourists overcame an early blow when a concussion ruled opener Warner out of the match following a hit on the head in his day one knock of 15.

Lyon struck twice in the space of three deliveries with Rohit Sharma bowled for 32 and Cheteshwar Pujara out lbw for a duck in the batsman’s landmark 100th Test.