IND vs AUS 2022-23, 4th Test: Kohli-Axar frustrate Australia; pushes India to the brink of draw; fans amused

Team India gave another solid show for Australia with the bat on Day 4 of the fourth and final Test in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Sunday. The hosts finished their first innings at 571, earning a 91-run lead, thanks to twin centuries from Shubman Gill (128) and Virat Kohli (186). At the same time, Axar Patel (79) also played a vital knock, pushing the Test to the brink of a draw, while fans were delighted by the Indian performance.

Resuming at 289/3, India lost Ravindra Jadeja (28) 20 runs later to off-spinner Todd Murphy. Nevertheless, Kohli and KS Bharat (44) tailored an 84-run partnership for the fifth wicket before the latter fell to veteran off-spinner Nathan Lyon at 393. However, at this time, Kohli brought up his 28th Test century and his first in over four years, while with Axar, he put on a 162-run stand for the sixth wicket, allowing India to take the lead before the latter was forced to play on by seamer Mitchell Starc.

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Following Axar's dismissal, there were barely any convincing stands for India, with Kohli being the final wicket to fall to Murphy after the Australians had pushed all its fielders to the boundary in a bid to stop him from getting to his eighth Test double-ton. India's innings terminated at the fall of the ninth wicket as middle-order batter Shreyas Iyer did not arrive at the venue after complaining of back pain.

For the Aussies, Lyon and Murphy grabbed three wickets each, while the former was considerably economical. As for the second innings, Australia carefully batted out the day for six overs, scoring just three runs, with Travis Head (3*) and Matthew Kuhnemann (0) at the crease.

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Although the Test looks set for a draw, India's fate in the 2021-23 ICC World Test Championship Final might be assured on Monday if the ongoing New Zealand-Sri Lanka opening Christchurch Test ends in a draw or favour of the hosts, while a visitors win would force the Indians to wait until the second Wellington Test.