The Ahmedabad Test ended in a dull draw as Rohit Sharma-led India won the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2023 by 2-1. Australian opener Travis Head’s 90 and Marnus Labuschagne’s half-century were the only highlights of Day 5 where the pitch did not have enough for Indian bowlers. Australian batters did not look to score quickly and set India a target on a day where only two wickets fell.
Team India had one eye on the Christchurch Test between New Zealand and Sri Lanka where Kane Williamson led his team to a thrilling victory by three wickets off the final ball of Day 5 to create history. India and Australia will now face each other in World Test Championship (WTC) 2021-23 final starting June 7 at The Oval, London.
Australia scored 175/2 from 78.1 overs before the two captains shook hands and the play was called off. The visitors had an 84-run lead before the match ended in a draw.
Nightwatchman Matthew Kuhnemann fell early as he was trapped in front of the stumps by Ravichandran Ashwin's arm ball. Head did not want Kuhnemann to take the review but the replay showed that the ball was clearly missing the stumps.
No more wickets fell in the first session. Australia were 73/1 with Head and Labuschagne in the middle. Head accelerated after getting to his half-century. Labuschagne continued to play the defensive role and got to his half-century as well. In the second session, Axar Patel broke through Head's defense. Head got bowled after scoring 90 runs from 163 deliveries including 10 fours and two sixes.
India had an early chance to dismiss Smith but wicketkeeper Srikar Bharat's bad run in the Test continued. Bharat did not stay low and dropped Smith's catch when he had not opened his mark. In the last session, Smith and Labuschagne continued their defensive approach. Even when Rohit handed the ball to Shubman Gill and Cheteshwar Pujara, they did not take any risks. Eventually, both the captains shook hands in the 79th over of the innings.
After three Tests that ended within three days on rank turners, the Ahmedabad pitch turned out to be a batting paradise in comparison. Smith won the toss and opted to bat first. Usman Khawaja and Cameron Green frustrated India with a 208-run partnership, the highest for fifth wicket by an Australian pair on Indian soil. Khawaja’s 180 and Green’s maiden Test ton helped India post 480 runs on the board. Ashwin turned out to be the pick of the bowlers a six-fer.
In reply, Gill solidified his position as the opener and justified selectors' faith with a 128-run knock. But on Day 4, the highlight was Virat Kohli ending his Test century drought and breaching the three figures in whites after 1,204 days. Kohli's 186 and Patel's 79 helped India post 571 and take a 91-run lead.
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