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Live Cricket Score, India vs Australia 2017, 4th Test, Day 1: Australia bowled out for 300

Hello, good morning and welcome to CricketCountry’s live cricket blog and updates of Day 1’s play of the fourth and final Test between India and Australia for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy at Dharamsala.

© IANS
© IANS

Hello, good morning and welcome to CricketCountry’s live cricket blog and updates of the fourth and final Test between India and Australia. This is Suvajit Mustafi, and I will be bringing you all the live cricket scores and posts from the series-decider, being played at one of the most stunning venues in Test cricket, the HPCA Stadium in Dharamsala. A contest between India and Australia is never complete without controversies and altercations as well as drama off the field. In all probability, this edition of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy has given us exactly that. But the focus must remain on cricket, as both India and Australia have a chance to clinch the coveted trophy in their favour. FULL CRICKET SCORECARD: India vs Australia, 4th Test at Dharamsala

The Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2016-17 is currently levelled at 1-1, with Australia winning the first Test by 333 runs at Pune, India bouncing back at Bengaluru to clinch the game by 75 runs. When India finally got themselves into a winning position once again after putting up 603 for 9 declared at Ranchi, Shaun Marsh and Peter Handscomb played out of their skin to force a draw and keep the series alive. Clearly, Australia have performed better than any of India’s opponents in the past and have prepared extremely well, making the fourth Test even more intriguing.

India are believed to be calling back their premier fast bowler Mohammed Shami, who has been away from international cricket since the third Test against England. It has been a long journey for the right-arm pacer, whose return will provide India the spunk that they have missed ever since he got injured.

For both, India and Australia, a lot depends on what kind of pitch is prepared at the HPCA Ground in Dharamsala. If India are contemplating summoning Shami as well as Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Australia too are likely to call back Jackson Bird in place of Pune’s hero, Steve O’Keefe.

India have been far off from their best in this series, starting with their captain Virat Kohli, who has had a torrid time so far. Kohli had scored a mere 46 runs from three Tests so far at 9.20, and he will be expected to make a big score before it is all over. The same can be said for Australian vice-captain David Warner, who has made a few starts but big scores have eluded him.

India have not lost a series at home since 2011-12 against England, and they will have to bring their ‘A’ game forward to thwart the Australian challenge. For the visitors, who were written off before the start of the four-Test affair, there is a great chance to win their first series in India since 2004.

Squads:

India: Virat Kohli (c), Wriddhiman Saha (wk), Murali Vijay, KL Rahul, Abhinav Mukund, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, Karun Nair, Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Ishant Sharma, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Umesh Yadav, Jayant Yadav, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Shami.

Australia: Steven Smith (c), Matthew Wade (wk), David Warner, Matthew Renshaw, Shaun Marsh, Peter Handscomb, Usman Khawaja, Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, Nathan Lyon, Steve O’Keefe, Josh Hazlewood, Ashton Agar, Mitchell Swepson, Pat Cummins, Jackson Bird

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