Tag: India vs Australia

NEW DELHI: Steve Smith will lead Australia in the upcoming one-day international series against India as David Warner returns to the side after recovering from an elbow injury, selectors said Tuesday.

The three-match series beginning Friday will give the Australians more useful practice on local wickets ahead of the ODI World Cup in India later this year.

Smith will stand in for Pat Cummins, who returned home after leading Australia in the first two Test matches to care for his ailing mother who died last week.

The visitors lost the series 2-1 — the fourth straight defeat to India — with the last match in Ahmedabad ending in a draw on Monday.

Star batsman Warner played in the first two Tests but returned to Australia after a blow to the head and injuring his elbow.

He was due to rejoin the squad in Mumbai on Tuesday following “two final rehabilitation sessions on his elbow”, Cricket Australia said.

Glenn Maxwell, Mitchell Marsh, Sean Abbott, Marcus Stoinis, Adam Zampa, Josh Inglis, Ashton Agar and Nathan Ellis — coming in for Jhye Richardson — arrived in India on Friday and trained in Ahmedabad.

Squad:

Steve Smith (capt), Sean Abbott, Ashton Agar, Alex Carey, Nathan Ellis, Cameron Green, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Marnus Labuschagne, Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, David Warner, Adam Zampa

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AHMEDABAD: India won their fourth series in a row against Australia after a fourth and final Test lit up by an epic 186 by Virat Kohli ended in a draw on Monday in Ahmedabad.

The hosts won the series 2-1 and the world’s two top-ranked teams will do battle again on June 7-11 at The Oval in the World Test Championship final.

Even before the players shook hands on day five, India knew they had reached the WTC decider thanks to New Zealand’s thrilling last-ball win over Sri Lanka earlier in the day.

It will be India’s second successive WTC final, having lost the inaugural edition to New Zealand in 2021.

Australia reached 175-2 in their second innings in the final session of play at the world’s biggest cricket stadium when the players of both teams called it a day.

“We do understand the importance of this series and the opposition. Lot of hard work has gone into this,” India skipper Rohit Sharma said.

Coach Rahul Dravid told broadcaster Star Sports: “It was a really hard-fought series, there were moments where we were put under extreme pressure by a really good cricket team and we responded.”

India similarly lifted the Border-Gavaskar Trophy at home in 2017 and then beat the Australians in their own back yard in 2018-19 and 2020-21, each time 2-1.

Travis Head (90) and Marnus Labuschagne (63 not out) snuffed out India’s push for a victory on the final day with a stand of 139 after nightwatchman Matthew Kuhnemann fell early for six.

The left-handed Head, capping a successful series after being left out of the first Test, missed out on his century after being bowled by Axar Patel.

Regular opener Usman Khawaja did not to bat due to “lower leg soreness” after getting hurt while fielding on day four.

The match in Ahmedabad belonged though to Kohli, who hit a masterful knock on day four to end a Test century drought of 1,205 days since his previous ton.

The marathon 364-ball knock blocked every chance of a potential defeat for the hosts after Australia posted 480 on a vastly different pitch from the previous three Tests.

Kohli, one of the best players of his generation, recorded his 28th Test century to power India to 571 all out on Sunday as India managed a lead of 91 after their first innings.

“I think in Test cricket I wasn’t able to play with my tempo and template that I have played with for the last 10 years for a while now,” said the man-of-the-match.

Kohli’s partnership of 162 for the sixth wicket with Axar, who hit his third half-century of the series with an attacking 79, marked India’s dominance on Sunday.

Opener Shubman Gill hit 128 to lead India’s reply and make the most of his opportunity after being added to the team in place of struggling KL Rahul in the third Test.

Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin excelled with his six wickets in Australia’s first innings, in a run-filled match which was at odds with the first three Tests.

Ashwin managed 25 wickets in the series, ahead of Ravindra Jadeja’s 22, as the spin duo received the player-of-the-series award jointly.

Not to be outdone, Australian spinner Nathan Lyon took 22 wickets including three in the final Test and was ably supported by up-and-coming spinners Todd Murphy and Kuhnemann.

“The spinners bowled really well,” said stand-in-skipper Steve Smith.

“Murphy and Kuhnemann bowled with composure. Lyon bowled his best in the first innings here, the best I have seen him bowl.”

An Australia team which lost several players to injury and personal circumstances had appeared on the brink of chaos after being well beaten inside three days in the first two Tests.

But the tourists roared back to win the third match in Indore in just over two days on a viciously turning track to keep the series alive until the final match.

Smith led Australia in the final two Tests after regular captain Pat Cummins returned home to be with his seriously ill mother. She died last week.

The two teams now head into three one-day internationals starting Friday in Mumbai, ahead of the 50-over World Cup in India later this year.

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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.

AHMEDABAD: Australian cricket team are wearing black armbands on day two of the final Test against India following the death of regular skipper Pat Cummins’ mother Maria on Friday.

Cummins flew home immediately after the second Test in Delhi last month to be around his mother, who was seriously ill and in palliative care.

Maria died in Sydney overnight, confirmed Cricket Australia in a short statement on Friday.

“We are deeply saddened at the passing of Maria Cummins overnight,” said Cricket Australia on Twitter.

“On behalf of Australian Cricket, we extend our heartfelt condolences to Pat, the Cummins family and their friends.”

“The Australian Men’s team will today wear black armbands as a mark of respect,” it added.

We are deeply saddened at the passing of Maria Cummins overnight. On behalf of Australian Cricket, we extend our heartfelt condolences to Pat, the Cummins family and their friends. The Australian Men's team will today wear black armbands as a mark of respect.

— Cricket Australia (@CricketAus) March 10, 2023

It may be noted here that Steve Smith serves as Australia’s stand-in skipper in the ongoing final Test. He also captained the side during Australia’s eight-wicket win against the home side in the third Test in Indore.

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AHMEDABAD: Opener Usman Khawaja struck the first century of the series by an Australian batsman as the tourists reached 255-4 on Thursday’s opening day of the fourth Test against India.

The left-handed Khawaja, batting on 104, put on key stands including a 79-run third-wicket partnership with skipper Steve Smith, who made 38, to hand Australia a strong start.

After a long grind, Khawaja was batting alongside Cameron Green, on 49, at close of play after Australia elected to bat at the world’s biggest cricket stadium in Ahmedabad.

The Pakistan-born Khawaja jumped up in joy after he raised the second hundred of a low-scoring series with a boundary in the final over of the day.

India skipper Rohit Sharma hit 120 in the opener, but is now second to the Australian opener, who leads the series batting chart with 257 runs.

Green remained the attacking partner in an unbeaten 85-run partnership with Khawaja that once again stamped Australia’s dominance despite two wickets in the final session.

Travis Head started aggressively and made 32 in a 61-run opening partnership with Khawaja before India hit back with two wickets in the first session.

Khawaja and stand-in-skipper Smith got down to hard work after lunch to wear down the Indian bowlers on a pitch that looks good for batting.

Ravindra Jadeja bowled Smith after the left-arm spinner’s delivery skidded off the turf to get the batsman’s inside and onto the stumps.

Mohammed Shami got his second wicket after bowling Peter Handscomb, but Khawaja kept up the hard work.

Pace spearhead Shami started the match with a wide and Khawaja soon got a boundary.

The pitches in the first three Tests were rank turners, with the highest total being India’s 400 in the opening match.

The left-handed Head took charge to hit a flurry of boundaries including three in one over from pace bowler Umesh Yadav.

Head survived a reprieve on seven when wicketkeeper Srikar Bharat dropped a simple catch off Yadav and the opener added 25 more before being dismissed by Ravichandran Ashwin.

Khawaja attempted to build another partnership, but Shami got Marnus Labuschagne for three, with a delivery that came in and rattled the stumps.

– Modi, Albanese present –

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese were in attendance for the first hour of play at the 132,000-capacity stadium, named after the Indian premier.

A bumper crowd greeted the two leaders before focus turned to cricket as Smith won the toss and named an unchanged XI from their previous win in Indore that kept the series alive at 2-1.

India need a win to clinch the series and secure their berth in the World Test Championship final, scheduled for June at The Oval in London.

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AHMEDABAD: Rohit Sharma on Wednesday angrily dismissed suggestions his India side had become overconfident, calling the criticism from former head coach Ravi Shastri “absolutely rubbish”.

India will look to clinch the series against Australia with victory in the fourth Test starting Thursday in Ahmedabad and book their berth in the World Test Championship final.

The hosts took a 2-0 lead in the four-match series to retain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy before losing the third Test in Indore in just over two days.

Shastri accused the team of “a little complacency, a little bit of overconfidence”.

Skipper Rohit hit back, saying: “Honestly, when you win two games and people on the outside feel that we are overconfident, it’s absolutely rubbish, because you want to do your best in all four games.”

He called his side “ruthless” more than arrogant.

“Ravi himself has been in this dressing room, he knows what sort of mindset we have,” said Rohit.

India lost the previous match by nine wickets on a viciously turning pitch at Indore, but the track at the world’s biggest cricket stadium is expected to give the batsmen some respite.

Rohit though has had enough of the talk about pitches.

“How challenging the pitches are? How much is it turning? How much is it seaming? We are trying to keep all of that away,” said Rohit.

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Australia have confirmed that stand-in captain Steve Smith will continue to lead the visitors in the final Test against India in Ahmedabad. 

Pat Cummins, who left India following the second Test in Delhi last month, will remain in Sydney to be with his mother Maria, who is in palliative care due to breast cancer.

In Cummin’s absence, Smith stood in as Australia skipper in Indore Test and led the team to their first win of the tour. Spinners, Nathan Lyon and Matthew Kuhnemann, were on charge in the third Test when Australia defeated India by nine wickets inside three days.

With the win, Australia also secured a spot in the ICC World Test Championship Final,  scheduled from June 7 to 11 at the Oval, London.

Although the outcome of the final match of the Border-Gavaskar Test series, starting from Thursday, will not affect Australia’s standing in the Test Championship, a draw or a loss, can impact India’s chances to qualify for the final.

Meanwhile, Cummins’ availability for the ODI leg of the India series, which begins on 17 March in Mumbai, is still unclear yet. He was appointed the ODI captain last year after Aaron Finch decided to step down.

Earlier, Australia confirmed one change to the ODI squad, with Nathan Ellis filling the void for the injured Jhye Richardson, who was ruled out due to hamstring issues.

Australia’s ODI squad for ODI series against India: Pat Cummins (c), Sean Abbott, Ashton Agar, Alex Carey, Nathan Ellis, Cameron Green, Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Marnus Labuschagne, Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, David Warner, Adam Zampa.

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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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