India vs Australia 4th Test Highlights Day 4: Rain forces early Stumps; Siraj takes five-for, India needs 324 runs to win

Mohammed Siraj took a five-wicket haul and Shardul Thakur picked four wickets as India needs another 324 runs to win the final Test at The Gabba.

Updated : Jan 19, 2021 08:39 IST

Shardul Thakur celebrates with teammates after dismissing Marcus Harris on Day four of the final Test at The Gabba on Monday.
Shardul Thakur celebrates with teammates after dismissing Marcus Harris on Day four of the final Test at The Gabba on Monday.
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Shardul Thakur celebrates with teammates after dismissing Marcus Harris on Day four of the final Test at The Gabba on Monday.

Hello and welcome to Sportstar's Live Coverage of Australia vs India, Fourth Test, Day 4 at the Gabba, Brisbane.

India vs Australia, 4th Test, Brisbane, Day 5 LIVE SCORE

India vs Australia, 4th Test, Brisbane, Scorecard

Stumps Day 4 | Australia 369 & 294 | India 336 & 4/0 (1.5 overs) - Needs 324 runs to win

That's the end of today's play as rain plays spoilsport in the final session and this has another day of absorbing cricket. Mohammed Siraj picked a five-wicket haul and Shardul Thakur took four wickets as India bowled out Australia for 298. Nevertheless, the Indian batsmen now face a stiff challenge as they need to bat the whole of Day 5 and salvage a draw. A win, looks highly unlikely as India still needs a massive 324 runs to script history at The Gabba. Join us for Day 5 at 05:00 AM on Tuesday. 

Rain has halted play at the Gabba. Players go off the ground before Josh Hazlewood can complete his first over, the second of the innings. India's score: 4 for 0.

India 4 for 0 after 1 over: Rohit is off the mark with a serene boundary, leaning into a drive to collect four runs off Mitchell Starc and get the first runs for India.

A tricky period awaits India openers Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill. India's target: 328.

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It's still anybody's contest, but India now faces an uphill task of having to bat out the rest of today and all or most of Day Five. It will require a very special effort from the Indian batsmen to overhaul the target of 328 or salvage a draw.

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Australia 294 in 75.5 overs: Josh Hazlewood is the final Australian wicket to fall, he tries to back away and cut the back-of-a-length delivery from Mohammed Siraj; the fielder at third man takes the catch. It's a five-wicket haul for Siraj.

Australia289/9 after 75 overs: Hazlewood and Cummins further extend the lead and Australia clearly trying to bat India out of the Test match. With still close to 25 overs left in the day, with light permitting, India's openers will have to negotiate a challenging session.

Australia 274/8 after 72 overs: Nathan Lyon gets a top-edge and the ball flies over the fence for a maximum as Australia's lead crosses the 300-run mark. This is a massive score and given the condition of the pitch, the chase will be a stiff one. But since India have exhibited solid resistance, Tim Paine might wait before he calls his batsmen.

Australia 250/8 after 68 overs: Siraj strikes and the eighth wicket has fallen but Australia's lead is 281. It remains to be seen when the declaration comes. Starc departs for just 1 as Nathan Lyon makes his way to the middle. 

Australia 247/7 after 67 overs: Cummins gets going with a boundary over the slip cordon as Shardul resumes India's charge after the rain break. Although the number of overs have been extended, light might play a factor. For the moment, it's a bit gloomy.

The covers are coming off and we should have the resumption shortly... One over is lost and Stumps will be at 06:00 PM local time (including an extra 30 minutes)

It's still raining and we are still waiting for an official word about the resumption.

Tea Day 4: Australia 243/7 after 66.1 overs

Early Tea has been taken as the rain has arrived and the groundstaff cover the pitch as the covers are on. Shared session as although India picked wickets, Australia kept knocking away the runs and leads by 276 runs - which is a good target given the cracks on the surface. They will look to get at least 350 to be on the safer side and then insert India. Hopefully the rain stops and the game resumes soon.

Australia 242/7 after 65 overs: WICKET - Shardul picks his third wicket and the Australian skipper has to depart. Shardul digs in short, Paine goes for the pull but ends up nicking to Rishabh Pant behind the stumps. Paine falls for 37-ball 27 and Australia seven down with a lead of 275 runs. Mitchell Starc walks in as T Natarajan is back into the attack.

Australia 227/6 after 61 overs: Shardul Thakur strikes and picks his second wicket as Cameron Green departs for a patient, yet valuable 90-ball 37. Lifts off the surface and Green fends with hard hands, gets a thick outside edge and Rohit Sharma takes yet another good catch at second slip. Huge wicket for India.

Australia 196/5 after 55 overs: Siraj strikes and he gets the prized scalp of Steve Smith who departs for a valuable 55 off just 74 deliveries. Siraj gets the ball to hit one of the cracks and the ball rears up, Smith dried to defend it but the ball hit his glove and went straight to Rahane at gully. It was surprising that Smith reviewed it! There is clear evidence that the ball has hit his glove and that's a massive wicket.

Australia 185/4 after 52 overs: Smith hits half-century and what a fine reguard action this has been from one of the modern masters - His 31st Test half-century and Australia cruising ahead. Mohammed Siraj was guilty of dropping Smith at long-on off Sundar and Smith is riding on his luck and this is going to hurt India. He has found his rhythm and is set to help Australia set a daunting total for India. 

Australia 173/4 after 48 overs: The fifty-run partnership is up between Smith and Green and the lead is now 206 runs. This has been such kind of a series where both teams have recovered after suffering jolts and this time, it's Australia who are back with Smith playing the lead role. The former skipper is doing the bulk of the scoring as he is batting on 42 off 61 balls with Green on 13 off 51 deliveries.

Australia 154/4 after 45 overs: Natarajan seems to be targeting the leg side, cramping Smith with an impressive length. The Aussie batting mainstay, however, has looked good with Murali Karthik reckoning that he has "very Asian" wrists, as he nudges a ball towards Shubman Gill at cover point. The last ball of the over, meanwhile, just falls short of Rohit at leg gully!

Australia 149/4 after 42 overs: Shardul starts things off with a maiden over post lunch. Will Australia be looking to bat the day out as was suggested by Nick Knight during the break?

Australia 149/4 at LUNCH | Brilliant session from India as they have left Australia four down and have put a lid on the scoring. Warner and Harris started off well but Shardul broke the opening stand by bouncing out Harris. Sundar then trapped Warner and denied the southpaw a half-century as the opener was looking in good touch. However, it was Siraj's double blow that dented Australia and gave India control as he removed Labuschagne and Wade in one over. Crucial second session coming up with an eye on the weather. Back in 40...

Australia 137/4 after 39 overs: Is Navdeep Saini 100 per cent fit? Doesn't seem like it. He has been a bit slower than usual on the field, his throws haven't been good, and now he is bowling at 125-135 kph. However, with the pressure on the Australians and a ball which seems to be moving about a bit, Smith and Green would have a fair bit of building up to do. Meanwhile, India loses a review - a good call, nevertheless. Looked like it would have gone on to clip the top of leg. However, Green breathes.

Australia 130/4 after 35 overs: What a turnaround this had been from the Indian bowlers as just when it looked Harris and Warner were well-set, Shardul and Sundar did their job and then Siraj delivered a huge blow by removing the in-form Labuschagne and Wade. However, India will be aiming to see the back of Steve Smith, who has the capability to change the course of the game. Smith is batting on 12 off 20 balls in company of Cameron Green who is batting on 2 off nine deliveries.

Australia 123/4 after 31 overs: Double strike! Siraj has given India a double break and with the wickets of Labuschagne ( 22-ball 25) and Matthew Wade (0, 3b) India are on top. Siraj gets Labuschagne to edge one as the ball flies to Rohit, who takes a very good catch and then removes Wade for a duck. Bowls a full delivery and strangles Wade down the leg as Pant with a full length dive to his right pockets an excellent catch. Two wickets in four balls and suddenly India bossing the game.

Australia 91/2 after 26 overs: WICKET - Double strike! Washington Sundar strikes and he traps the well-set David Warner, who seemed to have found his rhythm. There was absolutely no spin and Sundar sprinted off the moment the ball hit Warner on the back leg and that looked plumb. A very late review from Warner but three reds and he walks off for a 75-ball 48. Key wicket for India and it has come at a very crucial juncture as India has now packed off both the openers. Steve Smith joins Labuschagne.

Australia 89/1 after 25 overs: WICKET - India strikes as Shardul Thakur gets Marcus Harris to break the opening 89-run stand, that was looking dangerous. Shardul digs in short and Harris tried to evade it but couldn't keep his gloves away as the ball kisses the glove and Harris doesn't review it. Much needed wicket for India as Harris falls for a 82-ball 38. Marnus Labuschagne walks out.

Australia 82/0 after 22 overs: Sundar is bowling a nice spell here as he is inviting the batsmen for the drive and is trying to force an error and Harris got a leading edge and almost offered a return catch but that fell safe. While Harris is batting on 38 off 81, Warner is unbeaten on 41 off 64 deliveries. India needs a wicket.

Australia 65/0 after 17 overs: The lead is nearing 100 and India yet to break the opening stand as both Harris and Warner are well-set in the middle and are rotating the strike really well, also finding the boundaries. Spin being introduced with Washington Sundar starting in a decent fashion while Shardul was brought back into the attack.

Australia 53/0 after 12 overs: Fifty up for Australia and the the lead is now 86 and India needs to pick a wicket here as bith openers are looking good, especially Warner who is scoring at a fair clip. Natarajan hasn't yet settled into his rhythm and that allowed Harris to free his arms with a couple of boundaries. Siraj has been bowling well and almost had Warner who got a thick outside edge but Rohit reacted late as the ball flew over the second slip. India needs to be disciplined.

Australia 25/0 after 7 overs: Good start from Siraj as he beats tye outside edge of David Warner's bat but the southpaw is up for the challenge as he drives beautifully through the covers for a boundary. It's overcast and the Indian seamers will look to purchase some assistance from the surface. 

All eyes are on the weather and after a superb fightback led by Shardul and Washington, India will aim to pick early wickets and take control of the Test, while Australia with a slender lead will look to further extend.. Hello and welcome to Day 4 and we are moments away from the start.

Washington, Shardul lead India’s fightback against Australia

Test rookies  Shardul Thakur  and  Washington Sundar  combined for a rearguard century stand that frustrated Australia’s vaunted bowling attack and lifted  India  from a precarious position Sunday into almost first-innings parity in the series-deciding match.

Scorecard and ball-by-ball commentary

The partnership formed with India in trouble at 186 for 6 in reply to Australia’s 369, and with no more recognised batsmen in the pavilion, added 123 runs — an  Indian record for the seventh wicket  at the Gabba.

Thakur, in his second Test, got off the mark with a six and raised his maiden Test half-century with another six off Nathan Lyon and topped India’s scoring with a 115-ball 67. Sundar posted 62 from 144 deliveries in his debut Test innings. In between the boundaries, the lower middle-order batters dodged, ducked and were hit by short balls peppered at them by the Australian fast bowlers.

AUS v IND, 4TH TEST, DAY THREE - AS IT HAPPENED

The pair had been elevated to the starting lineup for the fourth test and took three wickets each over the first two days after a string of injuries to India’s bowling stocks culminated in pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah and leading spinner R. Ashwin being ruled out of the match in Brisbane.

When Australian paceman Josh Hazlewood (5 for 57) completed a five-wicket haul by clean bowling a wildly-swinging Mohammed Siraj for 13, India was all out for 336 late on Day Three — just a 33-run first-innings deficit.

Australia  reached stumps at 21 without loss, an overall lead of 54. David Warner was unbeaten on 20.
 

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