Marnus Labuschagne completed his 5th Test century as Australia have ended Day 1 of the Gabba Test against India at 274/5.
Australia’s sixth wicket partnership of Tim Paine and Cameron Green saw out the day, having added 61 runs to the team’s score.
Earlier, Labuschagne’s century was followed by two wickets with debutant T Natarajan sending back Matthew Wade on 45 after he claimed the big one of Marnus who was caught-behind by Rishabh Pant on 108.
India are playing the Gabba Test with a bowling unit that has played a total of 4 Test matches but Saini, Siraj, Shardul, Sundar and Natarajan have managed to keep the visitors in the game picking 4 wickets so far in the Gabba Test.
Jasprit Bumrah, R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja are all out of this game due to injuries with Washington Sundar and T Natarajan both getting their debut caps.
Sixth ball of the match saw Siraj open India’s account with the big wicket of David Warner. The Aussie, playing only his second match of the series after returning from an injury, was caught in the slips. Rohit Sharma took a good, low catch at second slip to send the left-handed batsman back in the Australian dressing room at his individual score of just 1.
T Natarajan, making his Test debut in the match, was handed the new ball along with Siraj but it was yet another bowling change from skipper Ajinkya Rahane that got India another early breakthrough.
Harris, playing his first match of the series as he replaced injured Will Pucovski, got out caught on the first ball bowled by Shardul Thakur in the ninth over. At his individual score of 5, Harris was caught as square leg by Washington Sundar.
Australia’s score read 17/2 when Steve Smith came out to bat alongside Marnus Labuschagne and the players stabilised the innings, adding 70 runs for the third wicket.
An hour into the second session and that partnership was broken by debutant Washington Sundar with Rohit Sharma taking the catch at short midwicket. Smith out on 36.
Marnus was then joined by Matthew Wade with the Aussie number 3 scoring his fifth Test century.
Saini Groin Scare
Right-arm India pacer Navdeep Saini is being monitored by the BCCI medical team after he complained of pain in his groin, the Board of Control for Cricket in India informed on their social media.
The 28-year-old visibly seemed to be in a lot of discomfort, holding onto his thighs, after his follow-through as he bowled his fifth delivery during the post-lunch session to Marnus Labuschagne in the 36th over of the Australian innings. Incidentally, it was the same delivery on which skipper Ajinkya Rahane dropped Labuschagne at gully.
Four Changes In Indian XI
The fourth and final Test of India’s tour of Australia had Ajinkya Rahane announce four changes to the playing XI after home captain Tim Paine won the toss and elected to bat first at the Gabba in Brisbane.
India are fielding an extremely depleted side with injuries ruling out four of the players who helped the team draw the SCG Test Monday. Jasprit Bumrah is out due to an abdominal strain, R Ashwin has a back problem, Ravindra Jadeja injured his thumb in Sydney and Hanuma Vihari pulled a hamstring muscle during India’s second innings.
Therefore, India has handed out two debut caps- to T Natarajan and Washington Sundar. Mayank Agarwal and Shardul Thakur are also included in the playing XI.
Australia have made one change with left-handed opener Marcus Harris replacing an injured Will Pucovski.
Playing XIs
Australia: David Warner, Marcus Harris, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Matthew Wade, Tim Paine (c, wk), Pat Cummins, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood
India: Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane (c), Mayank Agarwal, Rishabh Pant (wk), Washington Sundar, Shardul Thakur, Mohammed Siraj, Navdeep Saini, T Natarajan
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