After the first three Tests lasted only three days each, the fourth and final INDvAUS Test at Ahmedabad was unusual.
What seemed a bit like a political rally on Day 1 with Indian and Australian Prime Ministers Narendra Modi and Anthony Albanese’s elaborate presence, the test match went on and on for full five days and ended in a boring draw.
It was a high scoring match, Australia scoring 480 and 2 for 175, India 571.
Winning the toss, Australia batted confidently on an easy paced wicket. Consistent opener Usman Khawaja hit a splendid 180 with 21 fours and added 208 runs for the fifth wicket with Cameron Green (114 with 18 fours).
As if saying whatever Australia can do we can do better, India replied with 571 runs, young opening batter Shubman Gill scored 128 with 12 fours and a six. The best batting came from Virat Kohli giving demonstration of classical stroke play with 186 runs enriched with 15 fours. It was his first Test century after 1206 days (over three years). It was also his 75th international century.
Later Axar Patel showed his power hitting by smashing 79 runs with 5 fours and four spectacular sixes. And India amassed 571 to lead by 91 runs. Spinners Nathan Lyon and Todd Murphy took three wickets each.
One for the archives. Thrilled to see it all come together at @GCAMotera 🏟️ .. couldn’t have asked for a better place to seal the deal. #homeground #indvsaus #bordergavaskartrophy pic.twitter.com/q9KR9VnbRl
— Akshar Patel (@akshar2026) March 13, 2023
Having already lost the Border–Gavaskar Trophy, Australian batters played for a draw registering 2 for 175, opener Travis Head 90 runs with10 fours and 2 sixes and Marnus Labuschagne 63 runs with 7 fours adding 139 for the unbroken third wicket.
The match was drawn, India winning the series 2-1.
Person of the Match: Virat Kohli.
Joint Persons of the Series: Off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin and left arm-spinner Ravindra Jadeja.
India’s captain Rohit Sharma was delighted with the result. He said at the presentation, “It was fantastic. Right from the word go, it was exciting. In all the Tests there was something in it for everyone to watch.”
The joint Players of the Match Ashwin and Jadeja complimented each other on their marvelous performances in the series. “It’s been a great journey together. We could not be the same without the other,” said Ashwin.
Four boundaries in the first session, none of those to Kohli who added 29 from 92. Fair to say the game within the game, the ton in the offing, has eclipsed all else at Ahmedabad. #INDvAUS
— Adam Collins (@collinsadam) March 12, 2023
Player of the Match Kohli added, as quoted in in CricInfo, “The expectations that I have for myself as a player are more important to me. I think in Test cricket I wasn’t able to play with my tempo and template that I have played with for the last 10 years for a while now. So that was the one thing I was trying to do.
“I felt like I was batting really well from the first innings in Nagpur. But we focussed more on batting as long as possible for the team. I did that for periods but not to the capability that I have done in the past. From that perspective I was disappointed but there was belief there that I was playing well and if I got an opportunity on a decent wicket then I can make a big one.”
With the Test series over, starts the One Day Internationals (ODIs), the first ODI at Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai on Friday, 17th March.
Read more: 2023 Ahmedabad Test will be a thrilling crowd-puller