IND vs AUS, 4th Test: Preview, Prediction, Live Score, Fantasy Tips
Dravid and Rohit inspecting the pitch [AP Photos]
The stage is set. The fans are ready, the players are ready and we are about to witness a classic Test match as India and Australia go head-to-head for one last time in Ahmedabad.
There's a lot at stake for the Indian side. Everything was a smooth ride, until their train got derailed in the Indore Test match. They need to win this last Test to secure a place in the finals of the World Test Championship. Apparently, they'll face the Aussies once again if they make it through.
Team Preview
India
Perhaps India needed a wake-up call and they deservingly received it in the Indore Test, when a spirited Australian side thrashed them by 9-wickets.
An argument can be made that preparing rank turners back-fired on the Indian side, as the batters looked clueless, and lost the plot on the first day itself. No one really looked comfortable against the Australian trio of Nathan Lyon, Matt Kuhnemann, and Todd Murphy, and that has to change if India are to win the Border-Gavaskar series yet again.
Ahead of the fourth Test, images surfaced online which showed that there is ample amount of grass on the surface to tempt both the teams go with a pace heavy bowling attack. But expect the grass to be trimmed and a spinning track to be offered.
India have a lot of dilemma going ahead in the Ahmedabad game. Do they stick with KS bharat, who in sub-continent conditions is a superior keeper, or should they try out an aggressive Ishan Kishan and bring a different flair into their game?
The batters need to up their game or else, India can say goodbye to the WTC final.
Australia
A new leader in Steve Smith and a new energy to defeat India in Indore. Everything was spot on from Steve Smith 'The Captain' in the third Test. They outplayed India in their own strength (spin department) and credit should be given to Nathan Lyon and Matthew Kuhnemann, who led the Indian batting destruction.
With Pat Cummins set to stay in Australia, Smith will once again lead the Aussie side, and they'll be etching to level the series.
The bold move to promote Travis Head at the top of the order worked wonders for the visitors, as his aggressive approach made the Indian side alter their game-plans.
The form of Steve Smith is a cause of worry, but expect the champion batter to have one last hurrah when the two teams meet in Ahmedabad.
Match Details
Date and Time: March 9, 9:30 AM IST.
Venue: Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad
Live Streaming/Telecast: Star Sports Network and Disney + Hotstar
Pitch Report
If you go by the tradition in the series, then expect yet another rank turner. There is ample amount of grass on the surface as of yet, but that'll be trimmed when the game-day comes. In the previous two Test matches at this venue, batters from both England and India found it hard and it was a spinning paradise.
Probable XI
India: Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Ravindra Jadeja, Srikar Bharat/Ishan Kishan (wk), Axar Patel, Ravichandran Ashwin, Umesh Yadav, Mohammad Shami.
Australia: Usman Khawaja, Travis Head, Marnus Labuschagne, Steven Smith (c), Peter Handscomb, Cameron Green, Alex Carey (wk), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Todd Murphy, Matthew Kuhnemann
Cricket Exchange Fantasy Tips
Keeper: Peter Handscomb
Batters: Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Marnus Labuchagne, Usman Khawaja
All-rounders: R Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Travis Head
Bowlers: Mohammad Shami, Matthew Kuhnemann, Nathan Lyon
Captain: Rohit Sharma
Vice-captain: Nathan Lyon
To check the live score, click here.
Prediction
A loss in Indore was a one off blip for the Indian side. They are too strong a side to lose back-to-back Tests in India. So expect the Rohit Sharma led side to bounce back and win the fourth Test.
 "Anurag Dasgupta")
