🏏India vs Australia - 4th Test: NMS, Ahmedabad: Day 5 - Page 29🏏 - Page 23

Axar Patel - I am feeling good to have contributed with the bat. I've had the confidence to go after ones that I can hit, the talk in the 1st Test is what I'm following and I'm gaining a bit of information about my ability with the bat. I had no set role (when asked if he was told to score quickly), just wanted to make as many runs as possible, bat along with the ball not doing a lot. One you're set, it's easier to bat, the odd ball is turning and staying low, it's slightly difficult when you're new to the crease, but once you adjust, it's still easy to bat on this wicket

Wow Kohli got 100+👏 Axar 👏Bharat also atleast played better. Wish Jaduu n Ashwin had contributed more then we would have gotten more runs. Oh well match gonna be draw probably?

Lower-back pain keeps Shreyas Iyer from batting in Ahmedabad Test

He had earlier missed the first Test of the series and the three ODIs against New Zealand

India's tussle for first-innings honours with Australia in Ahmedabad suffered a blow with lower-back pain keeping Shreyas Iyer from batting on day four. India's innings ended at the fall of their ninth wicket, with Iyer unavailable to bat.

Ravindra Jadeja batted ahead of Iyer on the third day, and while that wasn't unusual - India often use the left-handed Jadeja to break up a largely right-handed top order - Iyer didn't come out to bat even when Jadeja was dismissed on the fourth morning. Instead, wicketkeeper-batter KS Bharat walked in at No. 6. After that, Axar Patel, R Ashwin, Umesh Yadav and Mohammed Shami walked out to partner Virat Kohli,, who was the ninth - and last - batter dismissed, for 186, as India took a 91-run lead.

The BCCI sent out this statement shortly after Bharat came to the crease: "Shreyas Iyer complained of pain in his lower back following the third day's play. He has gone for scans and the BCCI Medical Team is monitoring him."

ESPNcricinfo understands Iyer was not present at the ground at any point on Sunday.

The injury will particularly worry India since back trouble has dogged Iyer over the last few weeks: it kept him out of the first Test of this Border-Gavaskar series, as well as the three-match ODI series against New Zealand that preceded it.

After this Test match, Iyer's next assignment is to captain Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL, which begins on March 31. Knight Riders are scheduled to play their first match of the tournament on April 1, against Punjab Kings in Mohali.

Get well soon Iyer!

Welcome to Day 5 of the 4th test between India and Australia: 9 - 13 March 2023.

"3-1 or 2-1?", asks Andrew McGlashan from Ahmedabad. Whichever way this goes, today could offer a glimpse about how Australia's future potential stars bat in foreign conditions, and under pressure. Warner is home, Khawaja is injured, and this could be Smith's last tour of India. This is Himanshu saying hello from the final day of what has been a good series, with Sreshth set to join soon.

On the pitch, there is some rough outside the left-handers' off stump at one end. Dinesh Karthik thinks Ashwin's performance could determine the day, with the pitch remaining potentially slow still.

Sagar: "What do Australia really have to lose here. I don't think there's any real difference between a 3-1 or 2-1 series loss here. They should just come out attacking" --- But that doesn't really give them the freedom to play meaningless cricket

KS Bharat - You've to be ready to do any kind of work when you're playing for the national team, so when Rahul Sir told me that I would have to bat next (at the fall of the 4th wicket), I was ready to do so. Initially, the first over I was waiting to see if he was bowling full or only bouncers, he bowled 6 bouncers, so I knew he was going to do the same in his next over and I was ready to take him on ( on the 21-run Green over). That's my shot, I like to handle fast bowling (on the pull). The odd ball is turning, if we get a couple of early wickets, we can make a game off it. Can't explain in words, but playing for India is an absolute pleasure, I love playing and representing your country, it's a dream come true.

After 4 days where bat dominated the ball, we're in for quite a finish in Ahmedabad. As things stand, one can safely rule out an Australian victory. 19 wickets have fallen over the first four days and the wicket has still held firm. After having braved tough pitches, the batters came into their own here in Ahmedabad with Virat Kohli breaking a 1205 days drought as he brought up his 28th Test hundred. There were significant contributions by the rest with Axar Patel's 79 being the standout as the hosts finished at 571, despite the unavailability of Shreyas Iyer. The 91-run 1st innings lead all but killed Australia's hopes of securing a series levelling draw and they've been left with the prospect of batting out most of the final day if they're to escape with a draw. They've started well though and batted out 6 overs yesterday without any alarms, this pitch is still a good one to bat and you'd feel draw is the hot favourite at the moment.

If India are dreaming of a 3-1 win, then it is down to Kohli's 186 and Axar's 79, as the fourth day's report from Alex Malcolm states.

Paul Jones: "2-1. Travis Head will score a 100. This is a no result pitch" --- Who knows? But I too get vibes of Ranchi 2017 from this

Australia (9 ov) 480 & 13/0

India

571

Day 5 - Session 1: Australia trail by 78 runs.

Current RR: 1.44

• Min. Ov. Rem: 87

Ashwin to Kuhnemann, out Lbw!! Kuhnemann has been given OUT LBW, this looked close and Kuhnemann doesn't want to waste a review onto himself . Off he goes and India have their first wicket. Nice bit of flight around off, drifted in and then spun back a touch, beat Kuhnemann's forward prod and smashed into his frontpad, in front of off and middle, was going on and crashing into the stumps. A simple decision for umpire Nitin Menon and Ashwin has India's first for the day. Kuhnemann lbw b Ashwin 6(35) [4s-1]

Ashwin to Kuhnemann, THATS OUT!! Lbw!!

Australia (12.4 ov) 480 & 17/1

India

571

Day 5 - Session 1: Australia trail by 74 runs.

Current RR: 1.34

• Min. Ov. Rem: 83.2

• Last 10 ov (RR): 16/1 (1.60)