In the final clash in the Border Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) 2023, Australia posted 255 runs for the loss of four wickets at the stumps on Day 1 at Ahmedabad. The visitors have already qualified for the World Test Championship (WTC) final after avoiding a clean sweep in the series, team India needs to win the last match at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad for surety of reaching the WTC final in England.
The fourth test match pitch was in buzz after the last test match at Indore got a ‘poor’ rating for its surface. Sanjay Manjrekar thinks the pitch in Narendra Modi Stadium for the fourth game is similar to 70s and 80s pitches in India.
Former Indian cricketer said after the post-lunch session on Day 1-
“Two wickets in the first session on a wicket like this is a big achievement. There were not a lot of wicket-taking deliveries bowled by India. There was one bowled really well by Umesh Yadav, the catch was dropped.
“This pitch is now, like one we have not seen for a long, long time, so two wickets on what looks like a pitch from 70s or 80s, it is a good performance from India,” Manjrekar said, suggesting that the pitch would be very good for batting,” said Manjrekar.
At Lunch on the first day of play at Ahmedabad, the visitors were on 75 runs for the loss of two wickets in 29 overs. Usman Khawaja and Steve Smith were in the crease, while opener Travis Head was dismissed by Ashwin on 32 runs, and Marnus Labuschagne for three runs.
However, Former Australian cricketer, Matthew Hayden didn’t support Majnrekar’s pitch theory-
“It’s a shared session and it is a better pitch for Test match cricket. This will eventually turn and break up, the question is when. We have already seen Ashwin and Jadeja come into the game and even Axar Patel getting overs inside the first session of the game,” said Hayden.
While, at stumps on Day 1, Usman Khawaja scored a brilliant ton in the fourth test match, Aussies posted 255 runs for the loss of four wickets at end of the day.
Fitst ton from an Aussie in this BGT, Usman Khwaja the man himself. What a guy, what an inning ?#INDvAUS #BorderGavaskarTrophy pic.twitter.com/zTXmTtPWMB
— Dhruvi Mendpara (@_dhruvirat718_) March 9, 2023
Earlier, Australian skipper Steve Smith won the toss and opted to bat first for the final test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) 2023 in Ahmedabad, Men in Blue are leading the series by 2-1. the visitors fielded an unchanged squad at the Ahmedabad test, while team India made one change, Mohammed Shami came in for Mohammad Siraj in the playing XI.