IND vs AUS highlights 4th Test Day 1: Stumps, Australia 255/4 with Usman Khawaja unbeaten on 104*

Australia ends the day's play at 255/4. A magnificent ton from Usman Khawaja kept the hosts in a firm position on day one here. India will have a lot of thinking to do. Especially the way things have gone after taking the second new ball. Green's counterattack has been fabulous in the second half of that session. All in all, it has been Australia's day and India needs to come back stronger tomorrow in the morning session or else the game might get away from their grasp very quickly. Australia 255/4

Green has started to counterattack since the new ball has been taken. Rohit Sharma is looking a bit puzzled now. Green and Khawaja have taken the game away from the Indians. India started well with a couple of wickets in the early part of the session. However, now they are behind the game and Australia has all the momentum here. Rohit will be hoping to pick at least one wicket before the end of Day's play. If Australia won't lose any wickets here the day belongs to them clearly. Australia 236/4

India has taken the new ball however has not gone to the plan so far. Umesh Yadav and Mohammed Shami have not been up to the mark with their lines and lengths. The pace seems to be down and there seems to be not lot on offer from the surface either. Rohit has gone to Ashwin probably a safe move given how the seamers have bowled. It is extremely hot and the seamers seem to be tired. This begs the question why did Rohit take the new ball in the first place. Australia 221/4

The Indians are playing a few tricks here and trying to ruffle Cameron Green's mind. The off-spinner is changing the field with every ball. Taking the time in between overs and making the batters wait creates doubt about what the bowler might bowl. A fascinating day of Test match cricket neither side can say they have run away with the game. Both teams are equal in it. The game is on the knife edge the new ball might be the game changer here we will have to wait and see when Rohit takes it and who he gives the ball to. Australia 201/4

Rohit has gone back to Axar to give a bit of a breather for the pacemen before taking the new ball. However, with the ball reversing will be interesting to see if Rohit will take the new ball or keep this ball for a bit longer. Khawaja and Green are batting sensibly and waiting for the new ball to score some quick runs. Given how the day has gone so far Australia will be looking to score around that 400-mark. India on the other hand would be looking to restrict the Aussies for 320-350 runs. Fascinating contest this between both the sides.  Australia 198/4

Green and Khawaja have scored a few boundaries in this short space of time and silenced the crowd a bit. Green is looking good with his defence looks like he has a clear plan against the ball which is reversing he is coming forward nicely and defending and punishing anything which is loose. Khawaja on the other hand is racing towards a 100. He has been an exceptional batter for Australia this series. India will be hoping to pick a couple more wickets before the end of the day's play. This is Test match cricket at its very best folks stay with us for more action. Australia 191/4

Cameron Green drives one nice of Shami reassuring the Australian dugout there is nothing wrong with the surface. Shami is in the middle of an exceptional spell reversing the ball pitching a few up and mixing up with a short ball from time to time. The seamers have been pretty effective on this surface, especially Shami who is willing to bend his back. Ashwin, and Jadeja who have picked up the bulk of the wickets coming into the game however, might have to wait here for the second innings for their turn to come. Australia 181/4

Shami cleans up Handscomb. Brilliant delivery by the right-arm pacemen. The ball moved a touch away from the surface after pitching and took the off-stump of Handscomb. Cameron Green walks into the middle. Two wickets for India in this session. This has been a brilliant comeback from the hosts. Looking at the amount of reverse swing on offer in the ground Australian think tanks might be thinking about their selection of picking only genuine seamer in Mitchell Starc and Green who can roll his arm over when needed.  Australia 170/4

The pressure has been finally removed. Handscomb has scored a couple of boundaries to settle the nerves of the Australian dugout. Umesh who has been fabulous so far has let the pressure go. This might be the right time for the Aussies to kick-start this inning and end the day well. The wicket continues to offer nothing to the bowlers. Steve Smith would be disgusted with his dismissal on this flat one. He was well set and looked good with the bat and was looking for a massive one before playing one onto the stumps of Ravindra Jadeja. Australia 169/3

Ravindra Jadeja and Umesh Yadav are building the dot balls here and piling the pressure on. Handscomb being a naturally defensive player is looking out to grind out the bowling. Khawaja too on the other hand seems to have lost a bit of fluency which he had while he was batting with skipper Steve Smith. Looks like India is slowly crawling back into this game. 13 overs still for the new ball Australia will be hoping not to lose any wickets before that and capitalise when the ball comes in. Australia 160/3

After the wicket, the crowd picked up their voice again. The momentum seems to slowly start tilting towards the Indian side. Australia have to be very careful as they have done all the hard work till this point a few quick wickets here might undo all the work done before. Jadeja and Umesh who are operating at the moment seem to have spring in their step. They are testing the new batter Handscomb in every possible way. Khawaja who has been there for long enough might be looking to take charge of the situation. Australia 154/3

Steve Smith inside edges one on to stumps of Ravindra Jadeja's delivery. Smith looked in disbelief after his dismissal. jadeja's persistent line and length have eventually bore fruits. It is a much-needed wicket for India as the partnership was looking ominous. Peter Handscomb walks into the middle. Australia has to start all over again and build a partnership. Keeper Bharath has found his voice again Indian team looking rejuvenated after the wicket.  Australia 151/3

After an absorbing first two sessions, we are back for the third session of cricket here in the fourth Test. Usman Khawaja and Steve Smith will be looking to build on this partnership. Rohit Sharma and Co. will be looking to pick up a few wickets in the final session. The ball has not turned much the Indians would be hoping for this old ball to reverse swing as they have the finest exponents of it in Umesh Yadav and Mohmmad Shami to exploit it. Australia 150/2

There's an unorthodox move from India. Shreyas Iyer introduced into attack. Two runs off his over and that brings a close to this second session. 33 overs, 74 runs, NO WICKET. For the first time in this series that is. Tea Time it is. Australia, 149/2.

Flighted on the off from Jadeja and Khawaja punches down long on for a single. A fullish one, placed down long off from Smith for another. The next may be the last over of the session, might turn out to be the first in the series without a wicket. 147/2, Australia.

The control with which this duo has brought down the straight bat. There hasn't been much on the offering for the bowlers but boy haven't these two blunted out the Indian attack this session to take control of the match narrative. Good concentration levels. Seeing the ball all the way through. Those front foot blockes have been right out of the textbook. Another one run over, 145/2.

Smith takes a single off the first ball before Khawaja plays Axar out for the remaining five deliveries. 29 overs in the last session had given Australia 75 runs at the loss of two wickets. 29 overs in this session so far have given Australia 69 runs without giving away any wicket. 144/2.

Never has a pair looked more at ease in the middle in this series than Usman Khawaja (63 off 170) and Steve Smith (34 off 109) right now. India will know these two have the means to make them hurt if not removed quickly on a batting friendly surface early in this Test. 143/2 after 57 overs as Tea time approaches.

Usman Khawaja will thank Axar Patel for that gift in his latest over. Short and horribly wide, the southpaw backs up before smacking it square past cover for four. Five from the over, 141/2.

Short on off, turns on the middle. Full and flat, on the middle. Good length, on the middle. Ravindra Jadeja has been functioning on automatic mode so far this morning and Steve Smith knows it. That bat won't come much straighter in the defence. 136/2.

Axar Patel replaces Ravichandran Ashwin from the other hand. India playing all of their cards now, looking to break this partnership. Mind you, for those thinking Axar Patel needs to bowl as much as possible only on the basis of his 20 wickets in the first two Tests he played at this venue, the conditions for those games were extremely contrasting. The wicket on offer today has barely tested the batters in a way that the other three wickets in this series have. Just the one off Axar's over, 134/2.

A half-hearted lbw shout out off Ravindra Jadeja against Steve Smith. Clearly astraying down the leg stump that. Smith leans on the whip shot to rotate strike after four dot balls again. Substitute fielder, Suryakumar Yadav with the direct hit but the Australian skipper is home. 133/2.

Another Ravichandran Ashwin over to Usman Khawaja. Another maiden. The big crowd at the Motera has gone silent and low in numbers deep into this second session. Partnership moves to 60 off 178 deliveries and Rohit Sharma has now moved to the highest wicket taker in the series, Ravindra Jadeja for a much needed wicket. 132/2.

Banged in short from Mohammed Shami and Steve Smith swivles onto it with a pull behind square for four. Front foot, back foot, soft hands, hard hands, he's in the zing, isn't he? Off the next ball, a straight drive that tips off of Shami's fingers and clips the bail off the stumps at the non-striker's end. Usman Khawaja however, is deep in the crease when the bails come off. Australia, 132/2.

Usman Khawaja overtakes Joe Root in the Test runs tally since January 2022. 1484 runs across 28 innings. What a crucial player he has been in Australia's 2021-23 World Test Championship striker. Surely needs to convert this one big. 

Usman Khawaja with the low hand, opens the face of the bat and places one behind for a four down the third man boundary. Fifty up for the Australian opener, his third of the series, 22nd overall in Test cricket. Gets to it off 146 deliveries. Also brings up the 50 run stand alongside Steve Smith and Australia looking in the ascendancy now. 128/2.

Slow whistle. Steve Smith latches on to one from Ravichandan Ashwin, pitched outside off. Not so soft hands now, even though it is fielded well at mid off. Those come into play later when he just flicks one down the leg behind for four. Just the faintest of last moment touches. 121/2, Australia.

Mohammed Shami replaces Axar Patel and Usman Khawaja-Steve Smith's running between endurance levels are tested. Three doubles in the over. It's a big ground and not the quickest of outfields so you may see more of these as the game progresses. 116/2.

Third time this session Steve Smith has been bothered by the sight screen. Bit of traffic down that side in terms of the ground staff. Was frustrating for Umesh Yadav as a bowler then. Must be for Axar Patel, who likes to wrap up his overs quickly, on this occasion. 110/2 and it's time for drinks break.

We've seen Steve Smith play that shot quite a few times. "He loves that shot," Matthew Hayden concurs on-air. The whip alongwith the turn to mid wicket to rotate strike. On his frontfoot. It's been his way out of a spree of dot balls. Comes out after four blocks off that Ravichandran Ashwin over. Just the one run from that Ashwin over. 108/2.

200 runs for Usman Khawaja this series. Hasn't been one to be remembered for batters as he becomes the second to cross that mark after Rohit Sharma (207). Two runs come from the latest Axar Patel over. 107/2.

100 up for Australia.

Usman Khawaja (46 off 131), tucks away another one from Ashwin drifting down leg. Goes deep in his crease in line of the ball and gets it through the square leg for four. Australia, 105/2.

Stoop low, front foot defensive block. It was almost like watching a Steve Smith GIF all through that Axar Patel over. The latter has kept it at his simple best. Using his arm ball, the one that comes with the arm. The last one slightly outside off brings those soft hands in play for a single and Smith retains the strikes. Australia, 99/2.

The past three matches barely hosted patient build ups and partnerships. The one in Ahmedabad presents that opportunity to Australia on day one. And that's exactly what Usman Khawaja and Steve Smith have been doing so far. Just the one from that Ashwin over. 98/2.

Axar Patel had bowled his first over just before Lunch, last over of the first session. On he comes to replace Umesh Yadav. A mix of tossed up and flighted deliveries outside off to Steve Smith. Just the one run comes from the over. 97/2 after 39 overs.

Ravichandran Ashwin to Usman Khawaja. Another maiden. There have been a minimum of three today by my count. It's simple you see. No extra bit of width given for a straight set of six balls and there'd be another. 96/2.

Umesh Yadav continues to go about it from the other end. Comes in hard, just as he does on any day in the whites with the sun out. Anytime now that spin comes in from the other end as well, Just the one run comes from this. Australia, 96/2.

And now he blocks. On the front foot, going deep in his crease, standing still, you name it. Notice the soft hands and the grip. Ahead of the contest, former India captain Sunil Gavaskar had told Sriram Veera that a tight grip on the top hand led to the Indian batters looking awkward in their play against spin, with the bat moving wayword. And then notice how Steve Smith does it. Those soft hands may be quoted as gifted but there's a lot of method to learn from his template. Australia, 96/2.

Reads the bounce like a book and plays a lovely late back cut behind square for four. Such soft hands at play. Bit of an issue for the Australian captain in terms of the cloth by the sidescreen hampering his concentration. A frustrating pause ensues. Australia, 94/2.

During Jadeja's last over, Murali Karthik on-air had stated that the former's unwillingness to cater outside of the fictional fourth stump line on a rank turner in Indore kept him out of his wicket-taking best. This over, we have Jadeja coming over the wicket to Usman Khawaja, trying to bring the ball in from outside off. We saw Ashwin's experiementation with the same batter, in the same over, switiching sides. Now might be a good time for Jadeja to try things before this pair cooks something up. Australia, 90/2.

There is a sense of anticipation in the air. Umesh Yadav coming in at Steve Smith from over the wicket. So far, the Australian captain is yet to have a go at the Indian bowlers. Umesh brings the ball in to the right hander, pushing him on the backfoot, even on top his toes to defend. The Indian captain might give this matchup a go. Australia, 88/2. 

Ravindra Jadeja with the short-ish length down the leg and Usman Khawaja punishes him with a hammering, backward of square on the onside. Four. Can't afford to give the batters that much leway with the runs on this surface. Australia, 87/2.

Umesh Yadav takes over from the other end. Rohit Sharma making use of the early bit of adrenaline rush from after Lunch. Important session this. Australia were breezing through that first session early on with Travis Head in the aggressor's seat. The two wickets in the first session have made it a slightly even contest for the taking. Just the one run comes from the second over after Lunch. 82/2.

?.?.?.?.?.? ?@MdShami11 sends back Labuschagne to scalp the second wicket for #TeamIndia ?

Follow the match ?? https://t.co/8DPghkx0DE#INDvAUS | @mastercardindia pic.twitter.com/LT3ao2kFBk

— BCCI (@BCCI) March 9, 2023

First over after Lunch and Usman Khawaja sweeps Ravindra Jadeja fine for four. Again, not the slightest of the risk taken. This one was pitched down the leg and the southpaw met it with appropriate treatmeant. Australia, 81/2.

Rohit Sharma brings in his fifth bowler for the final over before lunch. Axar Patel had picked 20 wickets on this ground in the two Tests against England back in 2021. In this series, he's faced a bit of drought. A good start here however, with a maiden and accurate line. Australia, 75/2 and the umpire's call it for the session. Lunch.

Immersed in his scientific self, Ravichandran Ashwin, in the absence of spin on this track, has been constantly switching from over the wicket to around in order to get the angles into play against familiar foe Steve Smith, who hasn't taken any chances. Just in this over, he bowls his fourth delivery from over, moves to around for the fifth and returns to over the wicket for the final. Another maiden. Australia, 75/2 with the last over left in the session. 

"You can see the fields changing here. Two men coming in close (from the on side). That means the lines will tighten, you'll so more balls on the stump," observed Ravi Shastri on-air during that Mohammed Shami over.

The latter realises Usman Khawaja hasn't and isn't going to take any risks in that line. The southpaw has latched onto anything marginally outside the stumps. But here, he avoids any. Australia, 75/2. 

Ashwin comes round the wicket to Steve Smith. Leg slip installed for the Australian skipper, we know that piece of drill from the last India-Australia series. Two runs come off the 26th over, Australia are 75/2.

The opener has been dripping patience in this first session that saw his opening partner derail his innings off an aggressive shot. Doesn't mind a pile of maidens, does he? Another one from Mohammed Shami, sure why not. As long as he gets to keep his wicket. That fifty from Khawaja in the first innings in Indore had set the game in his team's favor. Can he grab another one here? As it looks, we may have to wait for him to get there if he stays on. Australia, 73/2. 

Right then, another superb match up we're exposed to early in this Test. Ravichandran Ashwin vs Steve Smith. Starts off with a plain maiden. Over the wicket, keeping it more in the danger corrider at/outside off. Australia, 73/2.

INSPIRED CHANGE: Mohammed Shami replaces Ravindra Jadeja and cleans up Marnus Labuschagne. Comes over the wicket to the right hander and gets one to chop on and dislocate that leg stump. Fullish length, seam up, darted in, goes in between the bat and pad. What contrast from his first spell. Australia, 72/2.

Unlike he did to Head for most of his innings and on the one ball that got his wicket, Ashwin has come over the wicket to Khawaja. There isn't turn on offer yet in this match, he might have figured. Why not use the angles to your advantage! Another maiden follows, Australia are 72/1.

For a third straight over since Head's dismissal, Labuschagne takes the strike at the beginning and courtesy of the left arm orthodox, stays on strike for the entirety of it. Some square off this. Not an inch given. Not an inch taken. Just the most accurate set of deliveries we've seen so far this morning being met with the most accurate of defensive blocks. Australia, 72/1.

Another one from Ashwin that drifts down the left, nimble footwork and Khawaja flicks it behind the squaure on the onside for four. Just the sweetest of sounds followed on that one. Has looked supremely confident so far this morning, banking on anything outside the stumps for his boundaries. Australia, 72/1.

Familiar match up of the series alert!

Ravindra Jadeja over the wicket to Marnus Labuschagne. The latter has started off with a couple of impressive front foot blocks with the former keeping the ball at his accurate best between the fourth and the off stump. The first three games may have made Jadeja favorite but this surface offers Marnus an opportunity to pull a big one. Australia, 62/1.

Breakthrough finally for India!

Ravichandran Ashwin removes Travis Head (32), who is caught by Ravindra Jadeja at mid on, as India bag a first wicket. The southpaw looking to come down the track, miscues it straight to Jadeja stationed in the inner ring. Jeez, he must be disappointed with that and why not. Australia, 61/1.

That Umesh Yadav over may have forced Rohit Sharma's hand. Ravindra Jadeja replaces the pacer to accompany his spin twin from the other end. And the left arm orthodox is welcomed with a boundary in his first over. A swipe from Usma Khawaja, standing deep in his crease and placing it down long leg. Australia, 61/0.

Ashwin's first ball skids down the leg and Khawaja has an excuse for tucking it behind the wicket for four. Only his second boundary of the morning. Has been evidently the patient one off the two southpaw openers. Australia, 56/0 and it's time for a drinks break.