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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
Sport
Angus Fontaine (earlier) and James Wallace (now)

Australia trail India after Kohli hits 186 on day four of fourth Test – as it happened

Australia India Test (Event) Virat Kohli Ahmedabad
Virat Kohli leaves the field after his magnificent knock of 186.
Virat Kohli leaves the field after his magnificent knock of 186. Photograph: Robert Cianflone/Getty Images

With that it is time for me to go and entertain a mercurial two year old. Wish me luck. Join us tomorrow for day five to see if India can force a 3-1 series victory… or if Australia can wriggle off the hook. Thanks for your company, goodbye!

Axar Patel scored 79 runs in a fine partnership of 162 with Virat Kohli, it was when those two were at the crease that the spark went out for Australia. The chances of Steve Smith’s side forcing a victory started to slide out of view as the partnership progressed and the very real prospect of having to bat out on day five in order to avoid defeat began to loom in the rear view mirror.

Here’s Axar on that knock:

The way I’m batting, I am happy to be contributing. I am playing my game and backing my strengths. I’m just carrying forward my confidence and the way I was helping the team win matches last year, that’s helping me. I am punishing the bad balls and respecting the good deliveries - the idea was to play as long as possible.

At first we were chasing their score but once we went past it the talk was that if I get a bad ball, I would hit it. Once a batter is set, there isn’t a lot in it for the bowlers. There are a few odd balls that stay low, but once you get set, you get an idea of the wicket and it gets easier.”

Stumps - India in command

Australia close on 3-0 – they trail India by 88 runs. A tough ask for them on day five tomorrow, no questions about who day four belonged too though – India and Virat Kohli.

6th over: Australia 3-0 (Head 3, Kuhnemann 0) A single off the fourth ball of Shami’s over gets Travis Head off strike and gives Kuhnemann two balls to survive… the first is nudged perilously close to Pujara at short leg, just a bit wide but certainly too close for comfort! LAST BALL OF THE DAY – survived! Kuhnemann gets in behind it and that. is. stumps.

5th over: Australia 2-0 (Head 2, Kuhnemann 0) Head nudges into the leg side for another single. Kuhnemann does get an edge off Ashwin but the ball thuds low into keeper Bharat’s pad. Tough to call it a genuine chance. Right, Shami is coming on to bowl the final over of the day.

4th over: Australia 1-0 (Head 1, Kuhnemann 0) Jadeja. Six dots. Pffff… and just like that - he’s gone.

3rd over: Australia 1-0 (Head 1, Kuhnemann 0) Another maiden to Ashwin. No huge signs of turn or the pitch being a pickle just yet. It’s tense though. Every ball an event.

2nd over: Australia 1-0 (Head 1, Kuhnemann 0) Jadeja rattles through an over at the other end. Head clips behind square to get off the mark. There are about nine minutes to go, enough time for Jadeja to whistle through five overs, well almost.

1st over: Australia 0-0 (Head 0, Kuhnemann 0) It’s an Ashwin maiden to begin with. Usman Khawaja is struggling with his knee and so Matt Kuhnemann is tasked with opening the batting with Travis Head. Interesting.

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Right, here come the players. Can Australia survive to the close unscathed?

A sort of fab four for Todd Murphy

WICKET! Virat Kohli c Labuschagne b Murphy 186 (India all out for 571)

A top edged sweep sees the end of a sublime innings from Virat Kohli and as Shreyas Iyer is unfit to bat it is the end of the Indian innings. Kohli offers a rueful grin as he slowly takes his leave, a nice moment as Steve Smith comes over for a handshake and a shoulder bump.

India lead by 91 runs – Australia will have a tricky half an hour to deal with before the close.

178th over: India 571-8 (Kohli 186, Shami 0) Drop! Kohli smears Lyon into the leg-side and he’s spilled by Handscomb! Lyon hangs his head as well he might, he’s into an unprecedented (for him) 65th over of the innings.

177th over: India 570-8 (Kohli 185, Shami 0) One more to Kohli who is fifteen short of a double-century but is quickly running out of partners. Shami joins him at the crease and successfully blocks out the end of Murphy’s over.

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WICKET! Umesh Yadav run out (Handscomb) 0 (India 569-8)

Yadav is run out without facing a ball! Kohli calls him for two but he looks stiff as a board after being in the dressing room for two days, a direct hit from Peter Handscomb sees him on his way back to said dressing room. Gah!

WICKET! Ravichandran Ashwin c Kuhnemann b Lyon 7 (India 568-7)

Ashwin perishes on the slog-sweep, pouched on the boundary edge by Matt Kuhnemann. No sign of the injured Shreyas Iyer, Umesh Yadav joins Kohli in the middle.

176th over: India 568-7 (Kohli 183, Yadav 0)

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175th over: India 564-6 (Kohli 183, Ashwin 3) Starc bowls his 22nd over, that’s not a lot out of the 175 that have been sent down. The Aussies are definitely slowing the game down (your suspicions are indeed well founded, Farhan) BUT Kohli is suffering from cramp now and there’s a delay whilst he has a lie down and stretches out. Which gives me time to dig out those delicious back-to-back boundaries he crunched off Cameron Green earlier.

You’re very welcome.

OneHundredAndSeventyFourth over: India 560-6 (Kohli 180, Ashwin 2) A very slow Todd Murphy over costs two more singles.

This was the moment of the day:

173rd over: India 557-6 (Kohli 178, Ashwin 1) A single off his first ball sees Ashwin open his account with the bat.

Richard Slade whangs down an email and he’s sat somewhere in the vast Narendra Modi Stadium. I love the OBO. Give us a wave Richard! “Sitting here in the stadium, far from full, my completely unscientific survey indicates 95 percent Kholi replica shirts, 5 percent Rohit and the rest, well forget it.”

I dare say that Kohli percentage might go up, especially if he ends up getting to a double-ton by the close.

WICKET! Axar Patel b Starc 79 (India 555-6)

The lesser spotted Mitchell Starc comes into the ‘attack’… but as soon as I type those cruel inverted commas he gets the breakthrough! Patel inside edges an expansive drive onto his stumps and a mess is made thereof. Well batted Axar Patel, he’s expanded the lead to 75 runs with the help of the masterful Virat but his fun is now over. Ashwin is the new batter.

172nd over: India 554-5 (Kohli 176, Patel 79) A more sedate over, three runs collected off young Todd Murphy.

Hello to Tone White, who is seemingly very happy to waggle a steel toe capped boot ominously over the Aussies:

“Mr. Wallace, Good morning-ish. For all the doubters of the wisdom of England’s decision to give New Zealand a chance with the bat, and lose the game, voilà what happens if you play with traditional thinking : a big score, another big score, 5 days batting practice and little excitement. Aussie fuddy-duddies!!! Vive les losers!”

171st over: India 551-5 (Kohli 174, Patel 78) Axar has been given the green light to open his shoulders! He blasts Kuhnemann over mid-wicket for a huge SIX and then is more than happy to repeat the shot two balls later. SIX MORE! India with their foot on the throat, 13 runs blitzed off the over.

I’m waiting for it, that green light, I want it

170th over: India 538-5 (Kohli 173, Patel 66) Nine off the over! Kohli opens the face and deftly drives Murphy away for three before Axar gets the slog-sweep out and smears for four more.

Just leaving this here…

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169th over: India 529-5 (Kohli 169, Patel 61) Matt Kuhnemann begins after a drink. His first ball is an absolute lollipop down the leg side. And again. The umpire informs him the next will be called a wide so he straightens up and is SMASHED over long-on and into the crowd for SIX. Axar gave that plenty of humpty and India increase the lead to 49 runs.

Keep an eye on events in Christchurch…

168th over: India 519-5 (Kohli 169, Patel 51) Todd Murphy replaces Cameron Green, Axar nudges a single that takes him to a very well constructed fifty. The camera cuts to Steve Smith who has his hands clasped as in prayer. Well, quite. Time for a drink - Australia need some holy water or divine inspiration.

167th over: India 516-5 (Kohli 168, Patel 49) Lyon drops short and Kohli pounces, pulling away wide of square leg for four. Oh my. That is delightful. A straight drive, nothing more than a push, is sublimely timed by Kohli and the ball races back past Lyon and through straight mid-off for four. The lead for India is up to 36.

166th over: India 508-5 (Kohli 160, Patel 49) Cameron Green is given another over despite Kohli climbing into his last. He’s hanging it right outside off stump, a sure sign Australia are just looking to take time out of this game now, damage limitation. That won’t do it though, a high full toss is edged away fine for four. All a bit gruesome for the Aussies at the moment.

Yep. Definitely worth seeking out and purring over.

165th over: India 502-5 (Kohli 155, Patel 48) The hundred partnership between Virat and Axar. Partnerships have been a feature of this India innings, just when Australia have had a glimmer of hope with a wicket it’s been snuffed out with a sizeable contribution.

164th over: India 500-5 (Kohli 154, Patel 47) The crowd go into raptures as Virat Kohli plays an extravagant cover drive off Cameron Green that whistles for four… and then follows it up next ball with a nonchalant flick through mid-wicket for another boundary that brings up his 150! Regal batting and India notch up 500.

163rd over: India 491-5 (Kohli 145, Patel 47) The pitch is suddenly starting to play a few tricks, Lyon gets one to rear up like a peeved Cobra, the ball taking the edge of Axar’s blade and flying to Steve Smith’s right at slip – he can’t cling on and the chance goes begging. It was tough but it was a chance. Ayeeechi! Lyon then sends down a length ball that keeps really low, skidding on to Axar and nearly sneaking through. Worrying/encouraging depending on your loyalties.

162nd over: India 486-5 (Kohli 144, Patel 43) Axar might well start to up the ante here whilst Kohli beds in. The left-hander rocks back and scythes Murphy through point for a powerfully struck four!

161st over: India 480-5 (Kohli 143, Patel 38) Four runs off the over and after 161 overs they reach parity with Australia. Every run from now on hurts that little bit more Steve Smith and his men.

160th over: India 476-5 (Kohli 139, Patel 38) Todd Murphy trundles away from t’other end. Just a single added to India. Will we see them put their pedal to the metal over the next couple of hours?

159th over: India 475-5 (Kohli 138, Patel 38) Lyon starts off for Australia after tea, he gets one to grip and spit past Kohli’s edge - that won’t upset the Indian’s at all. A couple collected into the leg side from Virat. He’s been getting a lot of love for his first Test ton since 2019.

Meanwhile in Bangladesh:

You can follow proceedings over on a rival OBO helmed by m’colleague Taha Hashim. Not that you’ll leave me… don’t leave me. Incidentally I played five-a-side football with Taha on Friday evening and he scored a sublime goal. Much better to mention it here than tell him in person.

He’s a cheeky one:

157th over: India 472-5 (Kohli 135, Patel 38) India reach tea and it’s been a fantastic session for the home side, 110 runs added for the loss of just one wicket. They trail by just six runs now and Kohli is still at the crease and looking like he’s nowhere near finished. Right, to coffee! Back soon.

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156th over: India 469-5 (Kohli 133, Patel 37) Patel tries another extravagant heave but the ball from Kuhnemann turns quite sharply and evades both Alex Carey and Steve Smith at leg slip to run away for four byes. Australia in front by just 11 runs now. We’ll have one more over before tea.

155th over: India 465-5 (Kohli 133, Patel 37) Steve Smith has managed to twist the umpires’ arms into changing the ball. The calliper device is fiddled with for a bit and a box of balls is called for. Patel looks to attack Head but gets a thick top edge and the ball squirts over leg slip.

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154th over: India 462-5 (Kohli 132, Patel 35) Kuhnemann is easily milked, he lacks the control that Murphy and Lyon have and India are able to keep the score ticking over quite easily.

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153rd over: India 457-5 (Kohli 129, Patel 33) Travis Head is coming on to try his liquorice allsorts… he starts well enough, finding a bit of turn and hitting a length. Two more runs peeled off for India and the deficit is cut to just 23 runs.

152nd over: India 455-5 (Kohli 128, Patel 32) Axar hags back in his crease and flays a Kuhnemann half-tracker through mid-wicket for four! Eight runs off the over and the 450 up for India.

151st over: India 447-5 (Kohli 127, Patel 25) Just a couple of singles off the over, grey and cloudy in Ahmedabad. From where I’m sat it could be Blackpool in February.

150th over: India 445-5 (Kohli 126, Patel 24) A flick from deep in his crease, Kohli ambles down for a single. Patel is watchful and pats back the rest of the over. Let’s do some predicting… If India bat all day they should have a lead of 150ish - Australia are then forced to face the always tricky third innings on a fifth day pitch after having spent two days in the field. There’s also the chance Khawaja is unable to bat due to that injury sustained on the boundary edge a few overs ago. Whichever way you look at it, it isn’t stacking up well for the visitors.

149th over: India 444-5 (Kohli 125, Patel 24) Todd Murphy twirls a maiden and it looks as if Lyon is being granted a breather after 58 overs of toil. Matt Kuhnemann is limbering up for a spell.

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148th over: India 444-5 (Kohli 125, Patel 24) Poor Usman Khawaja has to limp up the hundred or so concrete steps to the changing rooms, we’ll bring you news on his injury as soon as it comes through. The fifty partnership comes up between Axar and Kohli, India trail by just 36 runs.

147th over: India 441-5 (Kohli 125, Patel 21) Right then, I’ve started my shift at a fun time as it seems India are intent to rack up the runs quickly. Axar uses his long levers to loft Murphy down the ground for SIX! Usman Khawaja couldn’t haul the ball in and he tumbles into the advertising hoardings in the process, he limps off the field gingerly. More pain for the Aussies. Let’s hope he’s ok. A single brings Kohli onto strike and he plunders tenth boundary by whipping Murphy through mid-wicket.

Thanks Angus and g’morning/evening all. This game is unspooling in interesting ways, Australia have to make all the running to try and force a result but at the moment they are being met with the full force of a Virat Kohli masterclass (about time too eh*).

Todd Murphy sends down the over post drinks and is flicked square by Kohli for another imperious boundary. Nathan Lyon, into his 56th(!) over is also starting to look a bit ragged, understandably. A full toss is clobbered down the ground by Virat for four more. Hold on, maybe India are putting the foot down here?

146th over: India 430-5 (Kohli 121, Patel 14)

(*Kidding. Sort of)

Time for a change in OBO energy. I’ve done my whack for the day and it’ll be James Wallace coming in off the long run-up from the London end. Thanks for your company and see you on the morrow for Fifth Day fireworks!

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145th over: India 419-5 (Kohli 110, Patel 14) The heat is rising in the furnace that is Narenda Modi stadium, with the cloud of the morning burnt away and the temperature currently at 37 and rising. Lyon steps across the coals of conflict again to get the first ball of his 56th over to snarl out of the rough and pop up off the pad but it lands safe. Axar Patel is the one batter Lyon has failed to dismiss in this series but one senses he’s closing in for the kill here. A maiden unfurls and we’ll have Drinks.

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144th over: India 419-5 (Kohli 110, Patel 14) Starc starts his 20th over but it’s with familiar results as he strays down leg and Axar Patel glances him away for FOUR. Starc has his speed up around 135kph but there’s no reverse swing on show and he’s been loathe to throw in yorkers for some reason. Patel takes him for another three with the boundary only saved by some athletic work by Todd Murphy.

143rd over: India 411-5 (Kohli 110, Patel 6) Nathan Lyon and Virat Kohli have long been adversaries and now they’re both centurions. Kohli has 110 and, with a single from that over, Lyon has 2-115 from his 55 overs. India trail by 68 runs.

142nd over: India 411-5 (Kohli 110, Patel 6) Axar Patel taps a single and Virat Kohli drives a FOUR. He sensed it was pitching short and stepped into the line to scorch it along the carpet to the boundary rope. And Kohli goes again. FOUR! This one is spanked behind square and a diving Matt Kuhnemann can’t stop it. Strewth, this is looking ominous for Australia.

141st over: India 402-5 (Kohli 102, Patel 5) The soft hands and steely nerves of Virat Kohli are steering India toward this total and he add two more to it from Lyon. But they’ve lost five good men along the way and are still 80 runs short. Can Kohli see them through – and into the ascendency?

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140th over: India 400-5 (Kohli 100, Patel 5) What can Starc spark? A tumble of wickets or a clatter of boundaries? Neither eventuate when he sprays his first two balls down the leg side. India now trail by 80 runs. Can they get there this session? Bharat’s 21-run over gave them a good spurt but his dismissal may necessitate a period of caution. Hence the maiden.

139th over: India 400-5 (Kohli 100, Patel 5) The wait is over for Kohli and he can lean back and bask in his eighth century against Australia and watch on as Axar Patel cuts Lyon for FOUR to get off the mark. Interestingly, Kohli has only hit five fours in his hundred and taken 242 balls to get there.

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CENTURY TO VIRAT KOHLI!

A simple dab behind square and it’s done. The wait is over and the drought has broken. Virat Kohli has his first century in 41 innings and his first triple-figure score in Tests for three years! He kisses the talisman around his neck and raises his bat to a crowd that is chanting his name and bowing at his altar. Not the flashiest of Kohli’s 28 Test centuries but perhaps his sweetest.

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138th over: India 393-4 (Kohli 99, Patel 0) Kohli works a single to go to 99. Buckle up folks. This could be the century heard around the world.

137th over: India 392-4 (Kohli 98, Patel 0) Lyon was invited back into the panic room but he’s sown some panic of his own with that wicket. Axar Patel is the new batter and he joins Virat Kohli on 98.

WICKET! KS Bharat c. Handscomb b. Lyon 44 (India 393-5)

Caught! Peter Handscomb is bang in the danger zone, standing two feet from a batter who has just carted two sixes and a four and yet when Lyon gets one to grip and bounce, Bharat fends it his way and he snaffles a fantastic catch at short leg. Great bowling Nathan Lyon!

136th over: India 392-4 (Kohli 97, Bharat 44) Murphy has been called into the firing line despite that 21-run over steaming up his spectacles a little. He leaks a two and a single to Kohli but otherwise survives intact.

135th over: India 389-4 (Kohli 94, Bharat 44) That 21-run over was the most expensive of the series. And it’s defibrillated this game out of it’s torpor. Now that Kohli is into the nineties the crowd have taken their volume up 90-odd notches too. Expect every run to be cheered like a century hereafter, particularly if KS Bharat delivers them in fours and sixes as he did last over. And when a top edge lands safely they have even more reason to cheer.

134th over: India 386-4 (Kohli 92, Bharat 43) Kohli clips a single, leaving KS Bharat to ride the wave of applause for his partner and kick it up with… a SIX! Green put it on a length and Bharat spun around and slammed it over the square leg fence. What will he do on the next one? He’ll DO IT AGAIN. This SIX is even bigger. In fact, it’s so big Steve Smith rushes in with some counsel for his bowler. But whatever the advice was it hasn’t worked as Green delivers a no-ball outside off stump that Bharat cuts gloriously behind point for FOUR. Green delivers a second no-ball in succession and gets worked for another single. 21 runs from the over!

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133rd over: India 365-4 (Kohli 90, Bharat 26) Nathan Lyon embarks on his 50th over of the innings – the most he’s ever bowled in India. Lyon needs one more wicket to become the all-time wicket-taker against India but I doubt it’s ever seemed so far away. Or maybe not? He gets his third ball to bounce a little more. Unfortunately Kohli is good enough to follow it with his hands and work it from that higher angle off his ribs and all the way to the rope. Fantastic innovation and adaptability by Kohli as a single from the fifth takes him into the nineties.

132nd over: India 362-4 (Kohli 88, Bharat 25) Here we go, folks! And successive bouncers from Cameron Green to KS Bharat speaks volumes for his restlessness. The stalemate continues as a maiden ensues.

LUNCH Day 4: India 362 for 4 (Kohli 88*, Bharat 25*). India trail by 118

India win that session. But is victory slipping away for both sides?

There hasn’t been the attacking intent from India’s batters everyone had hoped for. Instead Virat Kohli has gone steadily about his business in pursuit of his first century in 41 innings. India bled 73 runs from the session. Australia took one wicket – and that was gifted to them by Ravi Jadeja’s mad rush of blood to the head on 28. Australia’s spinners have bowled tightly, finding a few moments of threat on a soporific pitch. But it’s been nowhere near enough to put a genuine scare into India and victory now seems light years away. Slowly but surely India are batting Australia out of this Test.

Steve Smith can’t let this slow grind continue so we may seem some freaky deaky strategy in the session after lunch. Look for wildcards Travis Head and Marnus Labuschagne to get a couple of overs. Perhaps Steve Smith will blow the dust off his own spinning fingers to add to his tally of 19 Test wickets? At the least we’ll see Mitchell Starc given a spell to try and create some mayhem.

Time for a bite and a bit to drink. We’ll be back in a hot half-hour for the next session but make no mistake, folks, we are at a stalemate… in the doldrums… and on a long and winding road to nowhere.

131st over: India 362-4 (Kohli 88, Bharat 25) Lunch in sight now. Can Australia put a scare into India with a wicket? Or will India send their own message with a spree of hitting to bring the chase under three figures? For now they are content to whittle at the total rather than whack at it. Neither as three singles are run.

130th over: India 359-4 (Kohli 87, Bharat 23) Bouncer from Green! But the only one surprised is Alex Carey behind the stumps and he lets it beat him for four byes. Kohli takes two more runs to salt the wound and that brings the fifty partnership up for these two. Seventy runs from the 31 overs of this session.

129th over: India 348-4 (Kohli 85, Bharat 23) Dancing man Kohli skips down the pitch to flick two from Kuhnemann’s legside ball. That brings up the 350 for India. Great total but it’s still short of Australia’s 480. Bharat runs a leg bye from the next before another easy single to Kohli. The pace has quickened lately even if the pulse hasn’t. India are certainly scoring more freely with the ball coming harder onto the bat from Green and from the left-wing loop of Kuhnemann.

128th over: India 348-4 (Kohli 82, Bharat 21) Green is coming in over the wicket, angling at leg stump trying to find reverse swing. But nothing much so far and after Kohli swats him away off his toes for a single, he tries a 135kph yorker. Bharat keeps it out though as Green varies his length and pace, delivering his 13th over in the 129-140kph range. Two from the over. India trail by 132.

127th over: India 346-4 (Kohli 81, Bharat 21) After three dots and a single Kuhnemann tries to tempt Kohli with a full bunger but Kohli has his eyes on a bigger prize and he flicks it to midwicket for a single.

126th over: India 343-4 (Kohli 80, Bharat 19) That purr in the distance is the Green machine rolling in for a spell. That roar from the crowd is working a ball on leg side backward of square for a single to take his innings into the eighties. Mitchell Starc is warming up. Is Steve Smith about to throw caution to the wind and hard balls at hard bats with a barrage of pace from both ends before lunch? That electric fielding mentioned in the last over fizzes out a little as Travis Head fumbles and allows Bharat to pocket a run. The crowd is chanting '“Kohli! Kohli! Kohli"!” as the King moves within sight of his first century in over three years.

125th over: India 341-4 (Kohli 79, Bharat 18) More runs for Kohli as he glances Kuhnemann fine for two and then a safely driven single down the ground. Australia are trying desperately to spark something here. They have lifted a notch in the field and are diving, swivelling and hurling with attacking intent. But the Indian batters remain unperturbed and three come from the over.

124th over: India 338-4 (Kohli 76, Bharat 18) A tap behind square. A yelp for a run. A stutter and a scamper. A wild shy. A brave chase. The result? One run and two overthrows as Mitchell Starc pulls off a lovely piece of fielding on the rope. No further score from the over. India need 143 runs for a lead.

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123rd over: India 335-4 (Kohli 73, Bharat 18) Kuhnemann bowls out a maiden which gave me time to research the “fact” that Kühnemann is the 442,270th most commonly held family name internationally and is held by one in 9,427,614 people. Yep, that’s how special Matt Kuhnemann is.

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122nd over: India 335-4 (Kohli 73, Bharat 18) This partnership has crept to 24 from 85 balls – not exactly a runaway juggernaut more a slow jive toward 480. Lyon continues to probe at Kohli but the Indian master is onto every ball quickly, stepping out and stopping down to defend under the eyes. To the last of the over he steps back and rolls the wrists, watching it like a hawk and working it square for two runs.

121st over: India 332-4 (Kohli 71, Bharat 17) Kuhnemann to bowl! So it’s Murphy to get a rest not Lyon (yet). The Queenslander has been sparingly used in this Test by Smith – just 13 overs so far and 1-43 to show for them. What will his left arm spinners extract from this pitch that the right arms of Muprhy and Lyon can’t. Plenty it seems! Kuhnemann’s third ball pitches outside leg but darts back toward middle, deceiving Kohli and hitting the pads. Big appeal but Smith has to be certain and he isn’t. A maiden ensues.

120th over: India 332-4 (Kohli 71, Bharat 17) Somewhere in the ether of sketchy internet our OBO has mislaid an over but we are up to the 120th now and it will be Nathan Lyon to bowl it. He has 1-93 from 47 overs and may be due a spell.

118th over: India 332-4 (Kohli 71, Bharat 17) Murphy returns for Over 32. When will we see leftie Matthew Kuhnemann given his chance? Is there room for a wildcard over of cheeky tweak from Travis Head or Marnus Labuschagne? Three runs from the Murphy over. India now trail by 148 runs.

117th over: India 329-4 (Kohli 70, Bharat 15) After an hour of play India have squirrelled 34 runs for the loss of Ravi Jadeja. But they’ve been neatly pinned by excellent bowling by Nathan Lyon and Todd Murphy. How will they approach this second hour before lunch? Well there’s a hint as Bharat cuts the first ball after drinks for a lovely FOUR. Kracking Shot, KS!

116th over: India 323-4 (Kohli 70, Bharat 8) This is an important innings for Kona Srikar Bharat. He is almost 30 yet this is just his fourth Test and he’s yet to cement his spot with either bat or gloves. Before this innings, his five knocks have totalled 82 balls for 57 runs. With a single from Lyon’s final ball, he takes his total to nine runs from 21 balls. Worth raising a toast to? Why not, as the players take Drinks.

115th over: India 322-4 (Kohli 70, Bharat 8) Kohli beaten! Murphy looped it in and the ball straightened on Kohli, just missing the edge and flying past Carey’s gloves to run away for two byes thanks to a hot pursuit by Nathan Lyon. They will be the only runs from the over.

114th over: India 320-4 (Kohli 70, Bharat 8) Big spin by Lyon! He is putting serious revs on the ball and finding rough patches that are sending balls jagging inside and out. Lyon has 20 wickets already in this series and needs just one more wicket to pass Derek Underwood as the highest-ever wicket-taker in India. In the Land of Spin, what a feat that would be. Kohli clips a single off his hip from the last to break the dry spell and retain strike for Murphy’s over.

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113th over: India 319-4 (Kohli 69, Bharat 8) From master to apprentice, Lyon throws the ball to Murphy. What a clinic they’ve conjured on this tour – Murphy dazzling everyone on debut with 7-for at Nagpur and Lyon proving his greatness with 11-for at Indore. They are turning the screws on India today. Murphy bowls another maiden to amp the pressure another notch.

112th over: India 319-4 (Kohli 69, Bharat 8) Bharat is beaten! Nathan Lyon has his tail up and is troubling the new batter with his loop and skid. A bamboozled Bharat is happy to steal a single and get off strike.

Updated

111th over: India 318-4 (Kohli 69, Bharat 7) Australia have one wicket from the 11 overs this morning and India have 29 runs so the visitors are ahead, I reckon. Todd Murphy is really toiling hard here. The Echuca offie claimed the scalps of both Virat Kohli (for 12) and KS Bharat (8) in his debut Test at Nagpur on the way to 7 for 124. But once bitten twice shy in this over as they play out a maiden.

110th over: India 318-4 (Kohli 69, Bharat 7) Over the top! Lyon tossed it up and KS Bharat took one big step and hit with the spin to send it flying over the infield, over the outfield and over the fence. SIX! Top shot, KS! But the Australians will like that rush of blood to the head. It reeks of risky batting and that often results in wickets. Lyon’s length has been excellent this morning and he gets one to jag out of the rough and past Bharat’s blade late in the over. Even Steve Smith at slip has to scramble to stop it running away for byes.

109th over: India 311-4 (Kohli 68, Bharat 1) Here comes Murphy again, now with 2-58 from 26 overs toil. India still trail by 170 and if Australia were to spark one of those destructive domino-like collapses, this Test comes alive. Hard to tell whether India are hunting victory or dragging their heels to a draw. Even in the middle they seem torn as Virat Kophli sets off for a simple single only to be sent back by new batter KS Bharat. Jiminy Crickets, it’s a brave man that denies Virat Kohli a run – and don’t think Bharat isn’t getting some eyeball daggers for it.

108th over: India 309-4 (Kohli 67, Bharat 0) Australia have a sniff now! They’ve got rid of Jadeja and now there’s a huge appeal against Kohli. They’re tempted to review but that ace card stays up Steve Smith’s sleeve and rightly so as the ball is shown on replay to be sliding outside the line. Great over by Lyon – a maiden.

WICKET! Ravi Jadeja c. Khawaja b. Murphy 28 (India 309-4)

It was weird batting. Then it got weirder as Jadeja slammed a four, almost spooned a catch and then succeeded in the latter while attempting the former. Khawaja claimed an easy catch at mid off and Murphy has his man. Curious batting from Jadeja when he had the ball on a string but he’s GONE.

107th over: India 308-3 (Kohli 66, Jadeja 28) Almost a catch! Jadeja spanked a four down the ground from Murphy’s first ball but then almost spooned a catch on the next. Weird batting by a man well set.

106th over: India 303-3 (Kohli 66, Jadeja 23) Lyon to Kohli is a clash of titans. Going into this series the GOAT’s numbers against Virat Kohli were impressive – four wickets at an average of 23.25. But Lyon can’t improve them here, with just a single coming from it.

105th over: India 302-3 (Kohli 66, Jadeja 23) If the cap fits, wear it. And Ravi Jadeja has the helmet off and the baggy blue on as he faces Todd Murphy. Just one from the over as the partnership ticks over to 58 and the gap closes to 177.

104th over: India 302-3 (Kohli 65, Jadeja 23) India have two TVs in the dressing-rooms, each showing Tests on opposite sides of the planet. On the first they are watching their teammates duel with Australia, on the other they are tuned to Sri Lanka v New Zealand where the visitors have set the Black Caps 285 to win the first Test. Of course Sri Lanka must win that series 2-0 to have a hope of qualifying for the World Test Championship whereas India need to draw or win this Test to usurp them for a spot in the WTC final against Australia in June.

Updated

103rd over: India 302-3 (Kohli 65, Jadeja 23) Quick single! It looked risky but the batters ran like rabbits to make it safely. A shout on the third ball from Murphy as it rushes onto Jadeja and raps the pad roll but Australia are down to one review now so with seven wickets to get, Smith will have to use it wisely. Murphy has bowled well for his 1-51 from 24 overs but he will need to find another level (or unveil a mystery ball?) to extract these two batters. Two from the over and India now trail by 179.

102nd over: India 300-3 (Kohli 64, Jadeja 22) Lyon is online for what shapes as a very long spell on Day 4. Looks like Cameron Green was simple a wedge bowler for the two spinners to operate in tandem. Kohli and Jadeja each pick off singles as the GOAT grazes the rough patches that stubbornly refuse to crack open and reveal the bounty of a wicket. We are under cloudy skies today not the usual pummelling heat of the previous days so that may delay any ruptures in the surface. No hint of prodigious movement so far although Lyon appeals on the final ball. Looked like a leg stump line at best, Gaz. And Steve Smith agrees. No review.

101st over: India 297-3 (Kohli 64, Jadeja 17) A flash of the blade and it’s FOUR. Kohli was denied in the last over but he won’t be denied again, late cutting Todd Murphy to the boundary. Is this a statement of intent from the Indian master?

Updated

100th over: India 293-3 (Kohli 62, Jadeja 17) And we’re away on Day 4! Virat Kohli lights the fuse on the day’s play with a single pushed to cover point from Cameron Green’s bowling. That inches the King one run close to his first Test century in three years and 41 innings! Green has got his speed up to 140kph already but his radar isn’t quite right yet and he allows Jadeja to push a run behind backward square. That brings Kohli on strike for the final ball and it’s a half-volley on leg stump gift-wrapped with a bow and Kohli gives it the treatment, stepping out to drive it mercilessly to the long on boundary but it pulls up short and Starc restricts it to two runs.

Updated

And while we’re celebrating hundreds, Richard Woods wants a shout-out for someone who notched a Thousand yesterday…

“No round of applause for Nathan Lyon’s 1000th maiden over in test cricket? (Over 44)‘‘

Well played Gaz – another fine achievement for the GOAT!

After just one century across the first three Tests, there’s been triple tons in Ahmedabad: Usman Khawaja’s sublime 180 and Cameron Green’s maiden 114 for Australia. And yesterday, India’s Shubman Gill joined the Hundred Club.

Here’s how Geoff Lemon saw the Indian young gun’s masterpiece…

Much of the debate this morning will be about India’s approach. Will they chase victory (and revenge for their humiliating nine-wicket loss in Indore) by attacking Australia’s bowlers? Or will they stonewall and let the game drift to a draw, content to take the series 2-1 and knowing Sri Lanka must beat New Zealand 2-0 to have a hope of usurping them in the World Test Championship final?

How do you reckon they’ll play it? Drop me a line and have your say.

For those who came in late, here’s the overnight report…

Preamble

Howdy cricket fans! Angus Fontaine here welcoming you back to Ahmedabad for the fourth Test between India and Australia and a rare Day Four in this strange but beautiful Border-Gavaskar series.

India are slowly but surely hunting down Australia’s total of 480. The home side finished day three at 289 for 3, trailing by 191 runs. Today they will look to pull ahead and set Australia a fifth-day target to win this Test and take the series 3-1. Only then can India guarantee their place in the World Test Championship final at The Oval in London in June, against Australia.

The hero for India yesterday was young gun Shubman Gill with a career-best 128. The recalled 23-year-old had strong support from Rohit Sharma (35), Cheteshwar Pujara (42) and Virat Kohli (59 not out) on a pitch packing precious few surprises. Australia’s spinners took three wickets – one apiece to Todd Murphy, Matt Kuhnemann and Nathan Lyon – and slowed India’s chase without stopping it.

Kohli is 41 innings without a century but yesterday notched his first fifty in 15 trips to the crease. The King looks in ominous form and, together with in-form allrounder Ravi Jadeja (16*) will resume today with attacking intent. That’s good and bad news for Australia. Good because it presents an opportunity to take wickets from risky shots. Bad because their ascendency in this Test could slip away very quickly if these two stroke-makers get going and run riot.

Either way, we’re in for an exciting day of cricket, so buckle ‘em up and batten ‘em down, we’ll have all the action shortly.

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