Report from Ahmedabad:
That’s it from me. The report, I’ve been told, is on its way, so do look out for that. I' enjoyed that. It was a relief to have a slow burner after all the madness of the previous three Tests. Australia on top thanks to a simply outstanding century from Usman Khawaja and some belligerence late on from Cam Green.
Enjoy the rest of the match. Will catch you all soon.
Still waiting for the report. But I just found another interesting stat. Khawaja’s ton is the first by an Australian lefty in 13 years. So there’s that. Maybe drop that in conversation this evening.
Here’s the full list if you’re curious.
Of course, it wasn’t a perfect day for Australia. This ball – or nut, or seed, or pill, as you like – to remove Handscomb threatened to tear the game apart.
Legend says that the off-stump is still cartwheeling 🤯😍#INDvAUSpic.twitter.com/QCMPppdzEK
— SunRisers Hyderabad (@SunRisers) March 9, 2023
It’s been a long wait for an Aussie ton in India. But notice a certain G Maxwell on this list. Oh how I’d love to see him in the Baggy Green again.
Australia's recent Test 💯 in India:
— Fox Sports Lab (@FoxSportsLab) March 9, 2023
104* U Khawaja Ahmedabad 2023
111 S Smith Dharamsala 2017
178* S Smith Ranchi 2017
104 G Maxwell Ranchi 2017
109 S Smith Pune 2017
130 M Clarke Chennai 2013
128 M North Bengaluru 2010
126 S Watson Mohali 2010#INDvAUS
Yeah, I’d say that about settles that debate.
This century in Ahmedabad for @Uz_Khawaja is the official burial of the “Uzzy can’t play spin” narrative #IndvAus
— Bharat Sundaresan (@beastieboy07) March 9, 2023
A reminder that England are in action as we speak. They’re playing the last of their 14874th white ball game this summer. If you’d like to check that out, here ya go:
While we wait for the report to come in, take a read of Geoff Lemon’s report from a strange mingling of sport and politics earlier in the day:
Khawaja again:
It was such a nice wicket. I just didn’t want to give my wicket away. It was a mental battle and you had to put your ego away.
STUMPS: Australia 255-4 (Khawaja 104, Green 49)
Given everything that’s gone on this series, that’s about as dominant a performance as any batting unit has put up. Usman Khawaja deserves all the credit he’ll receive as he’s produced a knock dripping with class and composure. He becomes the first Pakistan born batter to score a Test ton in India since Musbah ul Haq in 2007. But that’s just a little quirk. What’s more relevant is the fact that he’s got three figures on his third tour of the country.
He was an constant presence throughout the innings and had able allies in Steve Smith and then Cam Green who attacked the new ball and galloped to an unbeaten 49.
Australia will want to turn this strong start into an unbeatable position. 350 must be the absolute minimum target from here. Not a great day at the office for India who struggled to find a consistent line or length.
Updated
90th over: Australia 255-4 (Khawaja 104, Green 49) And that, folks, is that for the day. Shami bowls the final over and Khawaja takes five from it. First a four to bring up three figures and then steals a single off the last ball to keep the strike tomorrow morning.
Hundred up for Usman Khawaja
He gets there with a perfect clip off his pads for four off the returning Shami. That’s his 14th ton of his career. To think that he was once so far removed from this Test team. Since his return in January 2022 he’s the world’s leading run scorer and has averaged just under 70 in that time. Brilliant knock.
89th over: Australia 250-4 (Khawaja 99, GReen 49) Four more for Green with a scything cut shot off the back foot down towards a wide deep third. That’s shoddy from Jadeja. A single gets Khawaja on strike and he’ll face the first ball of the next over with a single that takes the score to 250 and his own tally to 99.
88th over: Australia 244-4 (Khawaja 98, Green 44) Khawaja gets a single off his pads and then Green unleashes a mighty cover drive. Full stretch of the front leg, knee bent just enough, lovely fast hands and a flowing blade that ends with a flourish. Hang that on your wall. What a great shot. He then takes a single down the ground to keep the strike. He’s raced to within touching distance of a half century as he’s dominated this partnership worth 74 already.
87th over: Australia 238-4 (Khawaja 97, Green 39) Jadeja into the attack. That’s as clear a sign that India made an error taking the new ball. Their seamers just haven’t delivered with it. A single for each batter without any hint of them losing their wicket before the close. Now it’s all about Khawaja getting his ton.
86th over: Australia 236-4 (Khawaja 96, Green 38) Aswhin delivers a relatively sedate over – given the pyrotechnics of this new ball – that’s worth just one run. That’s off Green blade who tonks a single down to long on. Khawaja, one hit away from his century, isn’t tempted to get there just yet.
85th over: Australia 235-4 (Khawaja 96, Green 37) That’s an eventful over. Green hammers, and I do mean HAMMERS, a pull shot in front of square. That was obliterated. Shami isn’t bothered and digs another one in and gets him in a tangle. The ball loops up towards the off side but it lands safely. So Shami has a blueprint and goes short again. Green takes it on but doesn’t catch it clean so has to make do with just a couple. Shami attempts a yorker but it’s a full toss and duly thwacked down the ground for another four. Shami goes back to his short ball and Green, now in full flow, clatters another pull but picks out the man in the deep, keeping the strike.
Phew. Did you get all that?
84th over: Australia 224-4 (Khawaja 96, Green 26) Ashwin has the new ball and that’s an indictment on Yadav and Shami. But I can’t be too harsh. It’s bee as hard for the Indian bowlers as it’s been all series. Green gets a single to deep square and Khawaya adds four to his score by way of two twos. Just one hit away from a ton.
83rd over: Australia 219-4 (Khawaja 92, Green 25) India will want to get that old ball back. Their seamers, understandably knackered after hard graft under a scorching sun, look toothless with this new nut. Green seems much more comfortable and Khawaja uses the extra pace and spring now on offer to clip a boundary off his pads through midwicket.
82nd over: Australia 213-4 (Khawaja 88, Green 24) A new ball always brings with it the chance of a late wicket but it also provides batters with scoring opportunities. That’s especially the case when Yadav offers Green width and the big batter scythes a cut shot towards a deep fine point for four. He gets a couple with a firm punch in front of the sweeper on the off side and then unfurls a beautiful straight drive to a half volley that deserved what it got. Two to start the over means it costs 12 – the most expensive of the match.
81st over: Australia 201-4 (Khawaja 88, Green 12) The new ball remains in the umpire’s pocket. So Axar continues to Khawaja from over the wicket. He’s looping it around a middle stump line asking Khawaja to come forward. His next ball is short so Khawaja can punch a single to long on. Green is on the front foot as well and is defending until he too gets a short enough ball to play on the back foot. He’s looking to swat it with a horizontal bat but mistimes it horribly and scampers a single to midwicket.
They’ve taken the new ball. Yadav warming up.
80th over: Australia 199-4 (Khawaja 87, Green 11) After 23 dot balls Khawaja gets a single with a drive down to long off and so moves to the unlucky (as far as Aussies are concerned) 87. Green, heeding the mistake of the previous overs, plays with a stoic bunt lacking any intent. That’s 80 overs gone. We’ll have 10 more before the close. That also means India have the second new ball available if they want it. But do they want it?
79th over: Australia 198-4 (Khawaja 68, Green 11) That’s an ugly swipe from Green who tries to heave one back over the bowler. Thankfully he catches it with a soft inside edge and it trickles towards midwicket. That’s what pressure can do but he should know better than that. Khawaja will no doubt be having a word. But credit to India who have now strung together three consecutive maidens. That’s the way to nab wickets on a docile deck.
78th over: Australia 198-4 (Khawaja 86, Green 11) Another maiden, this time from Ashwin to Khawaja. There’s a chance of a single off the final ball towards the covers but Khawaja says, “Not now.”
77th over: Australia 198-4 (Khawaja 86, Green 11) A bowling change and Axar starts again with a maiden. Green looks more comfortable against the slower spin and plays with confident movements and soft hands.
Is Test cricket dead? Not according to Abhishek Saikia:
“I guess test cricket is not in danger anymore huh? I think I understand the fury around the Indore pitch but the reactions tend to be extremely OTT. Our favourite Sam Perry from Grade cricketer made the link between India’s political climate and pitch prep. Huge OTT overreaction. Truth is test cruicket will survive and thrive. One odd rank turner is not going to sound the death knell”
I’d counter that, though, by saying that today’s pitch doesn’t drastically swing the needle in the other direction. But I’m largely with you. This has been a great contest. Nice to get some ‘traditional’ Test cricket to enjoy.
76th over: Australia 198-4 (Khawaja 86, Green 11) After a drinks break Khawaja is back in the groove against Ashwin. He uses his wrists to find the gap on the off side with a beautiful drive. Just so delicate. That’s eased, rather than hit, to the boundary. He then whips a length ball off his pads fine for two more.
75th over: Australia 191-4 (Khawaja 80, Green 10) Six off that Shami over. Five of them are off Khawaja’s bat that now looks as wide as the Sabarmati River outside the stadium. He clips a boundary with a bucket load of class and even more timing through the smallest gap past mid on. Just a wonderful stroke.
74th over: Australia 185-4 (Khawaja 75, Green 9) Aswhin’s back. He’s quick and flat through the air and he’s getting through his over at a real rate of knots. Khawaja, in complete control, takes a single. Green closes the set with another sumptuous drive off the back foot.. The ball starts outside his eye line and the big lad can pounce on it and give it the business.
73rd over: Australia 180-4 (Khawaja 74, Green 5) Green’s been cracked on the gloves by a fierce Shami bumper. It takes some doing to get the ball that high – had it not hit his gloves it would have hit his head – so credit to the bowler. Green gets off the mark with a single to square leg and will be glad to be up at the other end. But he’s back on after Khawaja pushes a single of his past point. Will Green get bumped again? Nope, it’s a gentle half volley outside off stump and he drives with a big stride through the covers for four.
72nd over: Australia 174-4 (Khawaja 73, Green 0) Great shot from Usman. Down the pitch and a full flowing drive beats the diving fielder at extra cover. Perhaps he recognises that he has to start upping the scoring rate. It’s hard for the new batter and runs are crucial in this first innings.
71st over: Australia 170-4 (Khawaja 69, Green 0) The big young ‘un Cam Green is the new man in as Shami gets a wicket on his return. Khawaja is watching a mini collapse unfold at the other end. Green just about gets away with a tight leave. He’s got a job on his hands seeing Khawaja to a ton and hanging in there for a rejuvenating partnership. Australia will still be targeting 300 at least.
WICKET! Handscomb b Shami 17 (Australia 170-4)
Shami comes into the attack and sends Handscomb’s stump cartwheeling. It’s a good length but you have to wonder why the batter has gone back to it. He has a tendency of playing off the back foot to the fast bowlers but that was nowhere near short enough to do so. Great line as well – just outside that off stump - which always puts doubt in the mind. The Indian’s have taken back control.
70th over: Australia 169-3 (Khawaja 68, Handscomb 17) Just the one off that Jadeja over. Khawaja worked a single towards deep square before Handscomb slowed things down with solid defence. He does come down the track to one ball, but his controlled drive dribbles to mid off.
69th over: Australia 168-3 (Khawaja 67, Handscomb 17) Fire with fire! Handscomb knows that Yadav is looking to dig it in short and he’s ready and waiting. He unfurls a pull with pirouetting toes as he works a boundary behind sqaure. Then he gets well on top of the bounce and clatters another four in front of the diving fielder at a forward square leg. Great batting.
68th over: Australia 160-3 (Khawaja 67, Handscomb 9) An eventful over ignited by a gorgeous stroke from Handscomb who skips down the track and wristily flicks Jadeja for four through midwicket. He takes a single with a punch off the back foot into the covers before Khawaja tries to steer one towards the off side off the back foot. He’s playing for the turn but it goes on with the arm and only just misses the outside edge.
Not sure who that is standing at silly mid off, but he’s been placed there, literally placed there, by the captain Sharma. I don’t think I’ve ever seen that at this level. The captain put one hand on each shoulder and moved the fielder exactly where he wanted him.
67th over: Australia 155-3 (Khawaja 67, Handscomb 4) Yadav’s spell won’t last much longer if he bowls like that, but while he’s here he’s going to bang it in short and rough up the Aussies. Aggressive intent, a short length, those are genuine bouncers. Great work. Handscomb gets off strike from the first ball as it balloons off the surface but against the left handed Khawaja Yadav is more threatening from round the wicket, angling in to the batter who has to take evasive action.
66th over: Australia 155-3 (Khawaja 67, Handscomb 3) Handscomb scampers a single off Jadeja by skipping down the pitch and meeting a fizzing flat one on the half volley as he pushes it wide of mid on. Lovely footwork. Jadeja ups the pace to Khawaja but the set batter defends with confidence.
65th over: Australia 153-3 (Khawaja 67, Handscomb 2)That Smith wicket has galvanised the Indian fielders and Yadav has responded to that energy. He unleashes a wicked bumper to Handscomb who does well to swerve out of the way. The new batter is playing very deep in his crease and going back to full deliveries. If it starts to reverse or does anything off the pitch he’ll be in trouble. He’s off strike, though, with a swivelled pull down to fine leg.
Was Smith too defensive? I’m not sure. No footwork in the dismissal but I wouldn’t blame intent there. Sometimes good batters play bad shots.
64th over: Australia 152-3 (Khawaja 67, Handscomb 1) Well, well, well. You don’t often get the wickets you deserve, but every so often you get the ones you need. And how India needed that. Smith is no doubt fuming inside the Australia locker room. If the Amazon Prime docco is anything to go by a few pads and gloves are being chucked about.
Handscomb now has a job to do with the set Khawaja. He’s off the mark but let’s see how docile this strip really is.
WICKET! Smith b Jadeja 38 (Australia 151-3)
A wicket from nothing! Smith bangs his bat on the ground in frustration. He’s missed a straight one. No, he hasn’t missed it, it’s an inside edge that ricocheted onto his pads before crashing into his stumps. He’s in an awful position to play that. He’s on the back foot to a ball that isn’t that short and he’s prodding away from his body which opens the gap between bat and pad. Can only assume that’s a lapse in concentration. That’s probably why he’s annoyed with himself. Not that India will care. They’ve burgled a breakthrough against the run of play.
63rd over: Australia: 150-2 (Khawaja 66, Smith 38) Yadav right arm around and Khawaja just leans into his first ball and takes a comfortable single in the covers. He could have made a cup of tea before the ball arrived, he was so early into position. To Smith, Yadav is over the wicket and looking to bang it in short. The pitch offers very little assistance. He won’t last long if he keeps doing that. But respect for the effort. Smith can’t get off strike despite a fumble at backward square leg after nudge off the hips.
Right then. We’re back. As in the players are back. Yadav has the ball. India need an early wicket to take back control.
And speaking of Spins. I just love this from regular OBO’er, James Wallace, on the idiosyncrasies honed in back yards and side alleys that make elite cricketers stand out. But will we see their likes again?
In other cricket, in a depressingly empty stadium, South Africa are playing the West Indies. I wrote this a few Spin’s back on why this meaningless series best encapsulates the diminished status of Test cricket:
South Africa take on the West Indies in a two-Test rubber next week, and if there’s any series that best encapsulates the inequities of the modern game, it’s this one.
Former iterations of both outfits are among the best to have ever played with a red ball. The all-conquering West Indians in the 1970s and ‘80s were cricket’s first dynastic force. Three generations later, the South Africans under Graeme Smith joined an elite pantheon that, at the time, only included those West Indians and the Australians of the ‘90s and early 2000s.
Today the men wearing green or maroon caps represent empires on the wane. Perhaps they’ve already sunk to a place that is beyond redemption. Neither side has a batter in the ICC’s top 20. Kagiso Rabada, Kemar Roach and Anrich Nortje are the only bowlers on their corresponding list. Most concerning of all, they each face a future that is thin on opportunities to set the record straight.
Between now and January 2025, South Africa will play 14 Tests across seven two-match series. They won’t play England or Australia until 2026. West Indies play one more Test than South Africa over the next 22 months courtesy of a three-match series in England in July next year. But they’re still feeding on relative scraps while the Big Three grow fat.
None of this is news to anyone who’s been paying attention. Outside of England, Australia and India Test cricket is struggling for relevancy. New Zealand’s triumph in the inaugural World Test Championship already looks like an anomaly, much like Uruguay’s twin victories in the early years of the Fifa World Cup.
And so, this current contest is fuelled by the fumes of the past. South Africa and the West Indies share a tangled history. Rebel tourists from the Caribbean were ostracised back home for their implicit endorsement of apartheid. South Africa’s first Test after readmission was in Barbados in 1992 where they lost by 52 runs thanks to Curtly Ambrose’s 6-34.
West Indies’ first tour of South Africa came six years later and they were soundly beaten 5-0 as Shaun Pollock and Allan Donald claimed 29 and 23 wickets apiece, and Jacques Kallis scored almost 500 runs at an average of 70.
That all feels like a lifetime ago. The Sir Vivian Richards Trophy, which has never left South African hands, has been relegated to a second rate trinket. These two proud cricket nations deserve better.
TEA: Australia 149-2 (Khawaja 65, Smith 38)
Two runs off that final over before the close of a session that belonged to Australia. Khawaja brought up his half century. He’s been well supported by Smith, batting in his baggy green cap. 74 runs from 33 wicketless overs means we’ve actually got a chance of a meaty first innings score. But, as we’ve seen so often, one wicket often brings about several more, so the Australians won’t want to let this advantage slip.
Back in a few.
61st over: Australia 147-2 (Khawaja 64, Smith) I’m finding the chat on the BT comms to be a little, odd. They’re talking about this pitch as if it’s the flattest they’ve ever seen. Credit to Matthew Hayden who is reminding us that this is day one. Tests are supposed to be slow burners. I’m honestly enjoying the change of pace. Australia are on top but one wicket could rip the innings apart. Two off this Jadeja over, one single apiece. I think we’ll have one more before tea.
60th over: Australia 145-2 (Khawaja 63, Smith 33) Round arm from Axar who, to his credit, is at least trying to mix it up. But Smith is content to see out another maiden. The man loves batting and he’s clearly in no rush.
One for you Baggy Green nerds:
In what will probably be his final Test Match in India (as he has said himself), Steve Smith is batting in the baggy green and doing it well. #INDvAUS pic.twitter.com/7yLQQ4MgeY
— Adam Collins (@collinsadam) March 9, 2023
59th over: Australia 145-2 (Khawaja 63, Smith 33) One more for Smith, who punches off the back foot through point. I liked what the commentators said earlier (I forget which one). This feels like a slow meandering piece of classical music after all that hip-hop we’d been treated to for the first three Tests.
58th over: Australia 144-2 (Khawaja 63, Smith 35) It’s all a bit pedestrian from the Indians. There’s only one run off this Axar over but it carries as much threat as a box of kittens. Something has to change if they’re to break this partnership
57th over: Australia 143-2 (Khawaja 63, Smith 34) A single apiece for each batter. Jadeja is too full which means Khawaja and Smith can press on the ball confident that it’s not going to rag past them from an awkward length. Khawaja brings out the sweep to add one more to his total.
56th over: Australia 141-2 (Khawaja 62, Smith 33) Bang! That’s a good shot from Khawaja. It’s a rank drag down from Axar but that’s the game. Khawaja has been patient and Axar has gone searching for something. Khawaja pounces on it and crashes it with a horizontal bat through point. He then gets a single towards the same region, again off the back foot.
55th over: Australia 136-2 (Khawaja 57, Smith 33) Two singles to start the over. Smith down the ground after giving himself room to play that from leg stump to mid off. Then Khawaja whips one out to deep square leg off the back foot. Smith batting with a cap on defends the rest.
54th over: Australia 134-2 (Khawaja 56, Smith 32) Another bowling change. Axar is back to give Ashwin a breather. Smith hogs the strike and will keep it for the next over as he bunts a single to the on side. The Aussies in complete control. This is as assured as they’ve looked all series. Please don’t @ me if I’ve just put the mockers on them and they go out next over.
53rd over: Australia 133-2 (Khawaja 56, Smith 31) A bowling change. Shami is out and Jadeja is in. Makes sense. The seamer had struggled to find a consistent length. Jadeja is full and Smith whips a scampered single to mid on where the sub fielder, Suryakumar, makes a direct hit. But Smith is well in so no dramas. Just the one off that over. Partnership worth 61 now.
52nd over: Australia 132-2 (Khawaja 56, Smith 22) A maiden from Ashwin who’s just completed his 18th over. Nice lengths which has Khawaja going back to a few that skid on off the pitch. But he’s seeing it so well that it meets the middle of his bat.
51st over: Australia 132-2 (Khawaja 56, Smith 30) Shami digs in an attempted bumper but it’s not high enough so Smith can swivel and help it on its way from outside off towards the fine leg fence. The Australians are looking good out there.
50th over: Australia 128-2 (Khawaja 56, Smith 26) No runs from that set with Aswhin now over the wicket. His first ball shoves Khawaja on the back foot and skoots just a touch low. Could have been interesting if he’s missed that. Aswhin is targeting the pads while Khawaja misses out on a gimme off his hips. There’s a fielder at forward short leg, might be worth sticking someone at leg slip if that’s the line they’re going to target.
49th over: Australia 128-2 (Khawaja 56, Smith 26) Half century for Khawaja! He’s got there with a boundary down to deep third, just opening his hands at the last minute to steer Shami away with complete control. He’s now the leading run scorer in this series. But his job is far from done. This is a good deck, as good as he’s played on, and he’ll be desperate to convert this solid start. He adds another three with a push through midwicket, taking advantage of Shami’s full length.
48th over: Australia 121-2 (Khawaja 49, Smith 26) Khawaja starts this Ashwin over with a single to deep point to take him within one of a half century. Smith unfurls a booming drive but it’s well fielded in the covers. Ashwin over corrects and is too short and straight and Smith uses the pace to nurdle it off his hips to the boundary. This partnership is now worth 49.
47th over: Australia 116-2 (Khawaja 48, Smith 22) A change of pace after drinks with Shami back in the attack. Smith is immediately switched on and caresses one off his pads for a couple in front of square on the leg side. Shami’s too full again and Smith leans into a push through the covers for two more. He’s not looking to hit the leather off the ball. And again, just a casual nudge through the covers for another couple.
A note on the pitch, this one looks to be the ‘best’, in the traditional sense, so far this series. I use air quotes because a good pitch is a matter of taste, but we might just get a game that stretches beyond day three.
46th over: Australia 110-2 (Khawaja 48, Smith 16) Déjà vu as another over passes with just a single to Smith before Khawaja plays with a soft hands and a straight bat on defence. Interesting to note the different speeds of the two spinners in operation. Aswhin much quicker and flatter, looking to beat the batters off the pitch with one that skids on or grips. Axar is giving it more air, looping it a touch as he’s trying to beat the batter through the air. The Aussies are up to the task with Smith working a single with control to the off side. That’ll be drinks.
45th over: Australia 109-2 (Khawaja 48, Smith 15) Smith is waving his arms about as he’s asking the crowd behind the bowler to sit still. Except, those fans are actually in line with an admittedly straightish mid off, but the Aussie skipper is surely making a mountain of a molehill. One of my bugbears of elite cricket.
Anyway, as for the cricket. Just one for Smith through the covers off that Axar set. Khawaja is watchful for two balls.
Updated
44th over: Australia 108-2 (Khawaja 48, Smith 14) Thanks Angus. Another top shift. Hi everyone. Dan here. Do get in touch as we see out this engrossing day to its close. Real cat and mouse as they say.
As for the 44th over, it’s Ashwin bowling at a pretty sharp pace from around the wicket. He’s trying to pin Smith back on his crease but one ball is full enough and allows the Aussie skipper to lean into a delightful flick, but it’s only worth one in front of square on the leg side.
43rd over: Australia 105-2 (Khawaja 47, Smith 12) The Khawaja-Smith partnership is now at 34 from 120 balls. Not a blaze of runs but a slow burn that brings a bit of comfort after losing Travis Head and Marnus Labuschagne in quick succession. Smith and Khawaja work singles as the crowd roar the arrival of Daniel Gallan as the new man in for the OBO. I thank you for your time and bid yers adieu until the morrow!
42nd over: Australia 105-2 (Khawaja 47, Smith 12) Cracking shot! Ashwin strayed onto the pads and Khawaja stood tall and still, got his eyes over the ball and rolled those wrists over it to glide it to the fine leg boundary. The hundred is up for Australia as, with a couple of singles, six runs come from the over
41st over: Australia 99-2 (Khawaja 42, Smith 11) Axar Patel returns. Although he’s nudging 30, Patel’s career is really in its infancy. His debut came in 2021 when Ravi Jadeja sat out the England series with a broken thumb, leaving Axar to claim five wickets on debut in in Chennai, and two Tests later, an 11-wicket haul in the third to finish the series with 27 wickets. Smith steals a single here.
40th over: Australia 98-2 (Khawaja 42, Smith 10) Kong v Godzilla. Batman v Joker. Smith v Ashwin. This is a true clash of titans here as the wily Indian spinner tries to outwit the twitchy wizard of Australian batting. Again Smith notches a single off the last. Only 23 runs from the 11 overs in this session so far but, crucially for Australia, no wickets.
39th over: Australia 96-2 (Khawaja 42, Smith 9) Sure enough, Yadav has been sent to the cooler and Axar Patel is back into the attack. He bowled one over before lunch (a maiden) and has been underused in this series as Ashwin and Jadeja have hogged all the wickets. But he’s been so brilliant with the bat, it’s easy to forget he’s got 49 wickets at 16 from his 11 Tests so far. Handy stats! Smith works him for a one to get a look at Ashwin next over.
Updated
38th over: Australia 96-2 (Khawaja 42, Smith 8) Ravi Ashwin returns to the frontline and Usman Khawaja treats him the respect due to a man with 467 Test wickets at 24. A maiden ensues.
37th over: Australia 96-2 (Khawaja 42, Smith 8) Umesh Yadav starting to tire now. He has a crazy shy at the stumps when Khawaja dabs it back and goes out to garden down the wicket. Steve Smith wormed his way into the big quick’s head with a few late leaves and the lanky coalminer’s son from Vidarbha is starting to fray at the edges. Time for a bowling change I reckon, Rohit.
36th over: Australia 95-2 (Khawaja 41, Smith 8) Usman takes an easy single from Jadeja as Australia close on three figures. This partnership is worth 23 from 82 balls and has steadied thing nicely for Australia.
Updated
35th over: Australia 94-2 (Khawaja 40, Smith 8) Smith is away! He had four runs from 30 balls. Now it’s eight from 31 as he holds steady on the crease and cuts hard at Yadav’s full ball to run it through along the ground through gully for a lovely four. If that didn’t raise Yadav’s ire Smith pulling away late again does the trick. The big quick tries to york him in revenge but no dice.
34th over: Australia 90-2 (Khawaja 40, Smith 4) Khawaja clips a single down leg from the Jadeja’s first ball to notch 40. He has 22 of them from those leg side glances and seven boundaries to his name. Smith takes a single too to get a good look at Umesh Yadav next over.
33rd over: Australia 88-2 (Khawaja 39, Smith 3) Yadav bends his back looking for bounce and swing but there’s none forthcoming and Khawaja taps him through gully for a run. It gives Smith his first chance after lunch. He has 3 from 23… and it stays that way as Smith pulls away late, irritated that someone is moving behind the Albanese-Modi commemorative sightscreen. Yadav is even more irritated. Fast bowlers hate pummelling in twenty paces only to have to ‘get off at Redfern’ as the old-timers used to say. Smith doesn’t try his patience further, playing out five dot balls.
32nd over: Australia 87-2 (Khawaja 38, Smith 3) Jadeja starts his sixth over by coming over the wicket to Khawaja but when it’s short outside leg Khawaja puts him away for four. Nice shot Ussie. He takes a single off the last to retain the strike for Yadav too.
31st over: Australia 82-2 (Khawaja 33, Smith 3) Umesh Yadav has been thrown the ball. He bowled pretty well in his first spell, drawing the edge from Head on 7 only to watch it spilt by ‘keeper Bharat. That affected his rhythm and he caught a bit of stick when Head cashed that luck in with a dervish of boundaries. Khawaja respects his first four deliveries here before dashing a single down to fine leg. No word yet on the “record crowd” we were expecting but. by the looks of the empty seats at either end, they may have fallen short of the 91,112 required to knock off the MCG’s 2013-14 Ashes attendance.
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30th over: Australia 81-2 (Khawaja 32, Smith 3) And we’re back. And Steve Smith must have enjoyed his thali because he skips out to Ravi Jadeja’s first delivery of the session and wallops it to deep mid on for a single. Khawaja goes one better, as Jadeja strays to leg and is whipped fine for a boundary. Good start for Australia as they try to wrestle back control of this Test. Khawaja adds another as the score ambles past 80.
LUNCH: Australia 75 for 2 (Khawaja 27, Smith 2)
Honours even at lunch. Australia had the early running as Travis Head did what he does and whacked a few around before wobbling one into a fielder’s hands. India were wasteful with the new ball and the Australian batters punished them, rattling along at four per over. Australia were 61 when Head holed out and well set. But when Labuschagne inside edged Yadav onto the stumps and departed for three Australia slumped to 72-2. The home side kept attacking but with lunch in sight Khawaja steered the visitors to safety unbeaten. Another scintillating session with more to come. Plenty of runs in this wicket (plenty of wickets too). Join us again in a hot half-hour and we’ll see which side gets the upper hand.
29th over: Australia 75-2 (Khawaja 27, Smith 2) Last over before Lunch I reckon and it will be 29-year-old allrounder Axar Patel to bowl it. This isPatel’s home ground so the skipper has given him a one-over whirl to Khawaja before the break. Not a bad ploy but it doesn’t work as Usman dots six in a row to make it back to the buffet with his wicket intact and his tally at 27 from 94 balls.
28th over: Australia 75-2 (Khawaja 27, Smith 2) Steve Smith wants the sightscreen – which today bears the greening mugs of PMs Albo and Modi – to move to block out some flurry of crowd movement. This Ahmedabad stadium is a whirl of colour as people pour into Gujarat’s prize 132,000-capacity colosseum to see runs come in a trickle. Another maiden from Ashwin.
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27th over: Australia 75-2 (Khawaja 27, Smith 2) As Shami rolls in for his eighth over, we’re seeing in the crowd some of the delegation of Australian business leaders who have joined Prime Minister Albanese’s delegation to India: among them are Qantas chief executive Alan Joyce, Fortescue Metals boss Andrew Forrest and Commonwealth Bank chief executive Matt Comyn. My growling greyhound has also alerted me to former premier Mike Baird’s presence on screen. NSW citizens will know why the hackles of happily-retired dishlicker Bailey Boy (racing record 5-0-0) are up. Khawaja plays out a maiden from Shami.
26th over: Australia 75-2 (Khawaja 27, Smith 2) Khawaja and Smith both work singles from Ashwin’s ninth over. They’re keeping things moving, albeit slowly, and waiting for the bad balls but there’s none coming as India tighten it up.
26th over: Australia 73-2 (Khawaja 26, Smith 1) Another maiden. Khawaja is pinned down by Shami who has recovered from that wayward opening spell to put a wicket in his pouch. Labuschagne will be understandably shattered by that dismissal. He is yet to get a big score in this series without ever looking out of form but as the dismissals mount up and the 60+ batting average slides even Marnie’s famous confidence might be a tad dented.
25th over: Australia 72-2 (Khawaja 26, Smith 1) Smith sees off a maiden. He knows there’s grass on the surface and runs down below but he just wants to give it a good look over before he feasts on it.
24th over: Australia 73-2 (Khawaja 26, Smith 1) Smith takes a single from his first ball and Khawaja sees off five dots as India rise to regain control of this Test.
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23rd over: Australia 72-1 (Khawaja 26, Labuschagne 3) Good bowling change by India captain Rohit Sharma as Mohammed Shami claims his 224th wicket from his 63rd Test – and it’s a ripper: the world’s NO 1 batter Marnus Labuschagne.
WICKET! Marnus Labuschagne b. Shami 3 (Australia 72-2)
Inside edge onto the stumps! Labuschagne is doing his painfully slow walk from the wicket but that was his own fault. Shami put it on a good length and Labuschagne stepped out to meet it but it straightened on him and he’s gone.
22nd over: Australia 72-1 (Khawaja 26, Labuschagne 3) Australia have added 11 runs in seven overs since Head holed out. But the batters will like what they see in this pitch. It’s playing evenly and honestly so far, meaning Australia might have a 200+ total to look forward to for just the second time in the series. Another maiden by Ashwin as India dry up the runs and rub the nerves raw.
21st over: Australia 72-1 (Khawaja 26, Labuschagne 3) Here comes Jadeja again. Many still consider him a second fiddle to Ravi Ashwin but he’s a marvel in his own right. Jadeja was the quickest left-armer to reach 200 Test wickets and, in 2013, the first Indian since Anil Kumble in 1993 to top the ICC ODI bowling rankings. No wonder he drew a US$2 million bid fr the IPL in 2012! He can’t dislodge Usman Khawaja in this over though, content to bowl out a maiden.
20th over: Australia 72-1 (Khawaja 26, Labuschagne 3) Labuschagne strolls another run from Ashwin’s first ball but Khawaja is watchful to the next three. he’s waiting for a bad ball… and it comes on the fourth. When Ashwin drifts onto the pads Khawaja leans across the line and whacks it away for four.
18th over: Australia 66-1 (Khawaja 22, Labuschagne 1) Ashwin trying to lure Khawaja to cut here. He hangs the first one out there and Khawaja readies the trigger but doesn’t squeeze. Instead, he squeezes on the sixth ball, leaning back to a half-tracker and hammering it to the deep square boundary.
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17th over: Australia 62-1 (Khawaja 18, Labuschagne 1) A maiden from Jadeja as Labuschagne takes a good luck at this greenish wicket with a kryptonite crust.
16th over: Australia 62-1 (Khawaja 18, Labuschagne 1) Marnus sees out the over from Ashwin as Australian fans shake their heads at what might have been for Travis Head’s innings. But he’s gone, the Test is back in the balance and we have the duel of Jadeja v Labuschagne to delight us in this second hour. Labuschagne gets off the mark with a single.
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WICKET! Travis Head c. Jadeja b Ashwin 32 (Australia 61-1)
Head hits out to Ashwin but he doesn’t middle it and it wobbles in a low arc to the safe hands of Ravi Jadeja. That’s the wicket India wanted! Pure folly by Head and he knows it. He was well set and primed for another match-turning innings but the drinks break has snapped his concentration and he’s holed out. He walks off shaking his head, knowing he’d done the hard work on a ripe track only to fritter it away to a straight ball. Ashwin does the job for India again
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15th over: Australia 61-0 (Head 32, Khawaja 18) With necks oiled and tactics revised, we return. It will be Ravindra Jadeja to bowl the first over after drinks. With his reflector sunnies on and his crazy brave ponytail, he’s a formidable sight. Mind you, so is Travis Head at the moment. He has 31 already at a strike rate nudging 80 and is making India pay for that dropped chance when he was just seven. Head takes a single from the second and Khawaja to swipe a four from the fifth. Lovely pull shot Ussie! His strike rate is closer to 30 but he’s played with his customary calm and skill to get Australia off to a flier.
14th over: Australia 56-0 (Head 31, Khawaja 10) Khawaja clips for four! Ashwin strayed with his first ball and Australia’s Test player No 419 guided it around the corner for yet another boundary for his side. A chastened Ashwin delivers five dots to follow as Drinks come onto the field. At 56-0 Australia will raise a toast!
13th over: Australia 52-0 (Head 31, Khawaja 10) Another four by Head! He just leaned back and carved that square, piercing the field for his sixth boundary. That was power. The fourth ball is met with finesse, as Head slices a slightly wider ball fine to the third man boundary. Lovely shot! And Head does it again to the last, stepping out and taking it off his toes to punch it through cover. He didn’t overhit that, just took the pace and pinged it back with interest. Head is away and Australia are flying at 4+ runs per over!
12th over: Australia 40-0 (Head 19, Khawaja 10) Almost a run out! Khawaja had stroked a lovely two and he strolled down three paces to the next ball from Ashwin and nonchalantly rolled the wrists to turn it down legside and set off. But the short point fielder had stopped it and as he scurried to collect and throw Khawaja realised the danger and swivelled and lunged for home. If the throw had been on target he’d have been gone. Bad lapse in concentration by Usman!
11th over: Australia 38-0 (Head 19, Khawaja 8) FOUR! Travis Head leaned on Yadav’s third ball and those lumberjack wrists of his pinged it past deep mid off and all the way to the fence. He has a go at the fifth one too, flashing it to backward square leg but can’t break the field. He breaks it this time! Head steps out to a wide half volley and hammers it for another boundary.
10th over: Australia 30-0 (Head 11, Khawaja 8) Bowling change! It’ll be Ravi Ashwin coming in. There’s a big appeal on the third but it’s on a fifth stump line and everyone knows it. Khawaja needed the reprimand. He gets his feet moving to the next few, playing out a maiden.
9th over: Australia 30-0 (Head 11, Khawaja 8) Shami stays around the wicket and swish goes the Gray Nicholls of Travis Head. No noise beyond an ‘Ooooh’ from the bowler and crowd as the ball passes safely to Bharat. Head has faced 26 balls for his seven. This is about the point at which he opened the shoulders and took on the bowlers in the second innings run chase at Indore, taking 45 from the 27 balls. And BANG! he seems to have pulled the trigger again, stepping inside the line to hit Shami past the fielder at mid on and all the way to the boundary.
8th over: Australia 26-0 (Head 7, Khawaja 8) Umesh Yadav is still filthy about that dropped catch in his last over. It was a beautiful ball too, kicking off a length and catching Head in two minds. In the end, Head went fractionally forward and then fractionally back as the ball reared up and caught the edge high on the bat. Bharat didn’t have to move so he didn’t but the gloves came up too slow to ensnare the opportunity. Khawaja takes two from the over.
7th over: Australia 24-0 (Head 7, Khawaja 6) How costly will that dropped catch be? If there’s one cricketer you don’t want riding their luck and playing with a sense of immortality it’s Travis Michael Head. He can take a Test match away from you very quickly. Khawaja dabs a single to bring Head on strike but he’s not throwing caution to the wind and taps it back with a rueful grin. Prime minister Albanese is departing with a smile, throwing thumbs-ups aplenty to the crowd.
6th over: Australia 23-0 (Head 7, Khawaja 5) Great fielding stops a four! Travis Head stepped out to Umesh Yadav’s first ball and gave it some grunt but another diving save at deep mid on saves a boundary. India may have given away some byes this morning but they’ve saved two certain fours with diving saves. There’s no saving this one! Head heaves it off his hip pocket and sends it to the rope. Great shot from the South Australian who looks to have got his mojo going. But he edges the fifth… it’s a simple chance for the man with the gloves… but Bharat misses it! DROPPED! That went straight through his gloves and hit his chest. Not sure what KS had for breakfast but it’s not done him any favours – eight byes and a dropped catch in a horror half hour!
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5th over: Australia 17-0 (Head 1, Khawaja 5) Big swing! Big miss! Shami got another ball to hoop off a stump line and swerve to slip. Head chased it with the bat but his feet didn’t follow and ultimately its arc was too steep to get any bat on it. The third ball of the over is straight and Head finally gets some willow on one, driving powerfully to mid on but a good dive in the field keeps it to a single. A no-ball and a dot ball finish the fifth over.
4th over: Australia 15-0 (Head 0, Khawaja 5) Umesh Yadav delivers another maiden and Australia’s highest scorer remains India’s KS Bharat who has leaked eight byes in four overs.
3rd over: Australia 15-0 (Head 0, Khawaja 5) Shami returns under the watchful eye of PMs Albo and Modi. Not a lot of chitchat going between the leaders but friendly sporting rivals, both men intent on the cricket. Friendship Through Cricket is the banner they’re meeting under. And they both applaud a Khawaja single from the fifth. Albanese is alone in applauding the four byes from the final ball though. That one reverse swung past Head’s inside edge and beat wicketkeeper Bharat on the bounce. More byes! The gloveman won’t be happy.
2nd over: Australia 10-0 (Head 0, Khawaja 4) So sundries outscoring batters so far, with four byes, a leg bye and a wide getting Australia to double-figures in the first over. Head is facing Umesh Yadav for this second over and he’s watchful, moving forward and back to find a groove and get a read on this pitch. Yadav’s fifth ball is wide and Head swipes at it but it stays too low for contact. The last is down leg and Head misses a chance to clip it fine. A maiden but a messy one.
1st over: Australia 10-0 (Head 0, Khawaja 4) Australia off the mark… with a Mohammed Shami wide. But he soon gets it right zeroing in at Travis Head’s leg stump. A half-hearted appeal but only Shami was interested and Head runs a leg bye while he’s carrying on. Good gravy! The fourth ball from Shami starts wide, Khawaja gives it a wider berth and ended up being the widest wide of the series, piercing first and second slip and running away to the third man boundary. Khawaja takes a four of his own from the fifth, edging through the cordon. Lively start!
Time for the anthems… ‘Advance Australia Fair’ first. The baggy green boys have their caps off and their arms around each other. Great to see Albo shoulder to shoulder with Smith singing his heart out. Now ‘Jana Gana Mana’ for India. No contact between the players and PM this time. They stand alone but together, arms by their side and, at its climax, with palms brought together in thanks.
The prime ministers depart and the players remain…
We’re talking a lot about the crowd today, potentially the largest in history for a day’s Test cricket (although the record for the stadium is 101,566 when Gujarat Titans defeated the Rajasthan Royals in last year’s Indian Premier League final).
For those who don’t know what we’re yammering about, here’s a primer…
We’re getting our first glimpse of the pitch and – shock! horror! – there’s greenery on it. That doesn’t mean there’s not kryptonite underneath though. But it does bode well for the batters who are collectively averaging 20.74 this series (compared with 41.36 in 2008 and falling sharply in every series since).
Will Travis Head bring his battle axe to this first session and put on a show of batting pyrotechnics for the prime ministers and this record (?) crowd? Head was wonderful to watch in the run chase at Indore. He had five runs from his first 26 balls in Indore but then rattled the sabre to finish with 49 from 53 with half a dozen fours and a marvellous six to get Australia home in style.
For those who came in late, here’s Geoff Lemon’s preview…
As the prime ministers hold their captain’s arms aloft, Australia’s team sheet shows no surprises. They have named an unchanged XI whereas India have brought back fast-bowler Mohammed Shami and given Mohammed Siraj a rest.
Team line-ups
India XI: 1 Rohit Sharma (capt), 2 Shubman Gill, 3 Cheteshwar Pujara, 4 Virat Kohli, 5 Shreyas Iyer, 6 Ravindra Jadeja, 7 KS Bharat (wk), 8 R Ashwin, 9 Axar Patel, 10 Umesh Yadav, 11 Mohammed Shami.
Australia XI: 1 Travis Head, 2 Usman Khawaja, 3 Marnus Labuschagne, 4 Steven Smith (capt), 5 Peter Handscomb, 6 Cameron Green, 7 Alex Carey (wk), 8 Mitchell Starc, 9 Todd Murphy, 10 Nathan Lyon, 11 Matthew Kuhnemann.
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Australia win the toss and will bat
Rohit Sharma tosses the coin and Smith calls correctly. “We’ll have a bat,” says the Australia captain.
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Interesting start to the Test with Prime Ministers Albanese and Modi skirting the boundary on a rolling stage that is some sort of vehicular mashup of Mad Max Fury Road and the Iron Throne (but with cricket stumps instead of swords). Not a bad metaphor for political life I’m thinking, but the two leaders are cheery enough, waving to the mob. Is it a record crowd? We’re about to find out…
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Preamble
Namaste cricket lovers and welcome to Ahmedabad in the Indian state of Gujarat for day one of the fourth and final Test between Australia and India in the 2023 Border-Gavaskar Trophy series. I’m Angus Fontaine and I’ll be your eyes and ears for the next few hours.
The series ledger stands at 2-1. That’s remarkable given Australia were so comprehensively outplayed in Nagpur and Delhi and went into the Indore Test without the injured David Warner and Josh Hazlewood and also missing captain Pat Cummins, who had flown home to a family crisis. Yet under the bold leadership of Steve Smith, and thanks to a lovely first innings 80 by Usman Khawaja, 11 brilliant wickets from Nathan Lyon and a nerveless run chase by Travis Head, Australia won by nine wickets.
Now it’s India under pressure. The home side must win in Ahmedabad to regain some honour, but most importantly, to secure a place in the World Test Championship against Australia in London. As if that weren’t challenge enough, both sides walk onto Narendra Modi Stadium today in front of what is expected to be the largest Test cricket crowd in history – a 100,000-plus attendance that would usurp the current record of 91,112 for the 2013-14 Ashes at the MCG.
So, in every sense, there’s plenty to play for.
As it was for the first three Tests, the pitch has been a major talking point. Or in Ahmedabad’s case, the pitches. Not content with rolling out spin-friendly surfaces to suit their attack and dismantle Australia’s left-handers (a plan that backfired on the Indore wicket later given a “poor” rating by the ICC), India had two pitches ready for this Test and only decided yesterday which it would be.
It adds yet another pinch of spice to what Australian prime minister Anthony Albanese calls “an affectionate but fierce sporting rivalry”. Albo will be in the throng today, joining India PM Modi to celebrate “75 years of friendship through cricket”. The two leaders will visit the India-Australia Platinum Hall of Fame in the stadium before meeting the players ahead of the national anthems.
Albanese will be at the Ahmedabad colosseum for about an hour before moving on to other commitments in Mumbai and Delhi. Modi will stay on to do some TV commentary, no doubt revelling in the record crowd at a stadium that bears his name but also the giant photo of he and Albanese on the sight screen.
That said, of all the people here today, VIPs and otherwise, the most important characters are the 11 men on either side who will fight out this Test match. They will be on the field shortly and we’ll have a veritable banquet of ceremonies and traditions: team announcements, coin toss, anthems and meet and greet.
It’s gonna be weird, but wonderful, so stay tuned.
