India vs AustraliaR Ashwin boosts India's morale after Usman Khawaja 180 on flat pitch

By Rajarshi GuptaR Ashwin’s spectacular bowling performance after Usman Khawaja’s classical 180 and Cameron Green’s aggressive 114 could prove to be the fillip India needed in the fourth and final Test of the 2023 Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Ahmedabad. By the end of the second day, however, India still had a mountain to climb after Australia scored a mammoth 480 in their first innings. (Full scorecard)

India would end the day strongly with a score of 36 for no loss in 10 overs with Shubman Gill scoring 18 runs and captain Rohit Sharma 17.

In several phases during the second day, Australia did not look like they could be bowled out. The flat pitch, the technically sound Australian batters and the heat – there was little room for India to fight back but R Ashwin lifted Indian spirits with a bowling show for the ages.

Usman Khawaja and Cameron Green continued to torment the Indian bowlers on the second day and the pair really looked inseparable. It was a flat pitch and unsurprisingly, the two set Australian batters wanted to make the most of it, having played themselves to a position of great strength in the closing stages of the opening day.

While Green was the more aggressive of the two, Khawaja was happy to bide his time and pick the boundaries off the bad balls which were available aplenty. India lacked the discipline they needed to show on a pitch like this with the exception of R Ashwin who was duly rewarded.

Australia started the day well and went wicketless in the first session. Usman Khawaja became the second Australian opener since Matthew Hayden in 2001 to hit 150 in a Test in India and Cameron Green scored a hundred on his maiden tour of India. Nothing India worked against the resolute Australian pair.

It needed serious skills from R Ashwin to dismantle the Australian batting line-up. He picked 3 wickets in the second session starting with the one of Cameron Green for 117. Ashwin then prized out Alex Carey for a duck in the same over and not long after, sent back Mitchell Starc who could have been a danger for the Indians at that stage given his big-hitting prowess.

Usman Khawaja found a strong ally in Nathan Lyon, who was equal to the task of holding fort against the Indian spinners.

Usman Khawaja had toured India before but all he did was carry drinks to the field in those Test matches. In 2023, Khawaja came to India as a key player and after twin failures in Nagpur, he led a spirited batting performance in Delhi and then hit a polished half-century in Indore. But the big moment came in Ahmedabad, a Test Australia are desperate to win to end their series-losing streak to India in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

After stumps on Thursday, Usman Khawaja said he wanted to avoid the temptation of hitting the big shots to capitalise the good batting pitch. A day later, he was still in that zone and looked good for his maiden double hundred. He had come close in January but Australia declared while Usman Khawaja was stranded on 195.

Time was not a factor on Friday but a momentary lapse of concentration against Axar Patel meant Usman Khawaja fell 20 runs short of a double century but the 180 would be counted among the greatest innings played on Indian soil by a visiting batsman. Australia had been blown away in Nagpur and Delhi, their batters were facing severe criticism but Usman Khawaja hung on and even became the leading run-scorer of the series during the course of a heroic effort. Khawaja could still be overtaken in the list but nothing can take away the joy of a pure Test innings.

R Ashwin was by far the best bowler for India. After his rapid strikes in the second session, the off-spinner picked two more wickets in the final session to finish with figures of 6 for 91. In the process, Ashwin broke Anil Kumble’s record for most five-wicket haul in Test cricket and affirmed his No.1 spot in the ICC’s rankings for Test bowlers.

R Ashwin was particularly lethal in the afternoon session, presenting the perfect seam to trouble the Australian batters. After toiling away for two days in the heat, Ashwin was well rewarded and also went past James Anderson for most Test wickets against Australia.

It would have taken a special performance to stop the Australian juggernaut and Ashwin produced just that. The Aussies should be proud of their achievements so far, having posted the highest score of the series after India’s 400 in the first Test in Nagpur. It is now up to India’s batsmen to show some form and make this a Test to remember.