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| Shunman Gill | Image credit: AppPhotos |
The fourth Test could be heading towards a draw after exciting opener Shubman Gill blasted a superb century to push India to 3-289 at stumps on day three against Australia.
After starting Saturday on 0-36, India had few problems handling the best batting pitch of the series and went about chipping away at Australia’s 480 in Ahmedabad.
Gill’s 128, a career-best score and his second Test ton, allowed the hosts to settle in and bat in good conditions to trail Australia by 191.
In another boost for the fans at the colossal Narendra Modi Stadium, Indian icon - Virat Kohli made a welcome return to form to end a 15-innings drought without a Test fifty.
Kohli (59 not out) will resume batting with allrounder Ravindra Jadeja (16no) on day four and the former India captain will be desperate to score his first Test century since making 136 against Bangladesh back in 2019.
Gill, one of the most talented batters India has produced in recent times, translated his brilliant white-ball form into the Test arena.
Despite smashing three ODI tons this year, the 23-year-old was left out of the first two Tests against Australia as India selectors opted to retain KL Rahul as captain Rohit Sharma’s opening partner.
But Gill was recalled for the third Test in Indore, struggling on a raging turner as the match ended in less than three days.
It was a tough, gruelling day in the field for Australia after they batted for almost two days to make their 480, led by Usman Khawaja’s marathon 180 and Cameron Green’s maiden Test century.
“I think it’s pretty even, to be honest with you, we know in this part of the world games can speed up quite quickly, so it’s about being patient for long periods of time and not chasing the game,” star spinner Nathan Lyon said.
“We knew it was a grinding day, it is a very similar wicket to what we faced in Pakistan 12 months ago.”
India captain Rohit Sharma (35) was the only wicket to fall in the morning session after he scooped a drive straight to Marnus Labuschagne at short cover off left-arm spinner Matt Kuhnemann’s bowling.
Despite claiming the big wicket of Sharma, Kuhnemann (1-43) was used sparingly and has only bowled 13 overs in the innings.
Australia struck a blow late in the second session, with young spinner Todd Murphy (1-18) trapping resilient No.3 Cheteshwar Pujara in front for 42.
Lyon (1-75) claimed the key wicket of Gill, the Indian hero out lbw.
Australia’s only frontline quick, Mitchell Starc, endured a tough day and finished with 0-74 from 17 overs.
Murphy, who took seven wickets on debut in Nagpur last month, was not brought on by acting captain Steve Smith until the 32nd over.
This match has been a dramatic turnaround after the first three Tests of the series ended in less than three days on raging turners.
The final Test of the Border-Gavaskar battle is poised to go the full five days on a pitch more suited to batting.
If Australia could pull off a win in Ahmedabad, they would level the series 2-2 in what would be a significant achievement in notoriously tough Indian conditions.
India are desperate to win the series 3-1 and secure their place in the World Test Championship final at The Oval in London in June, against Australia.