Australian Batters Display Retro Style in 4th Test Match Against India in Ahmedabad

India's bid to qualify for the World Test Championship final is jeopardised after Australia finished Day 1 of the fourth and final Test at 255 for 4, led by a valiant unbeaten century from opener Usman Khawaja.

On Thursday, the 36-year-old Pakistan-born Khawaja batted all day for his 104 (255 balls, 15x4) at the Narendra Modi Stadium. He was accompanied by Cameron Green, an allrounder who had settled in nicely with a brisk 49 (64 b, 8x4) not out against a tiring set of Indian bowlers.

Khawaja delivered a classic old-fashioned knock. He wore down the opposition and appeared eager to complete the sessions without regard for the scoring rate. He ditched all of the cute shots he'd used on rank turners in Nagpur, Delhi, and Indore in favour of the flick.

Khawaja's was Australia's first three-figure score of the series, and it came as a result of three useful partnerships. Between lunch and tea, the left-hander put on 61 runs with Travis Head before putting on a workmanlike 79-run stand for the third wicket with stand-in skipper Steve Smith that took 248 balls.

Khawaja then added 84 runs with for the fifth wicket of just 115 deliveries.

Indian spinners, who had previously dominated the series, struggled on the flat track. R Ashwin only got a couple of deliveries to turn sharply late in the day. If Australia manages to post a sizable first innings score, the signs could be ominous for Indian batters in the coming days, as the pitch demons are likely to awaken late on Day 2 or early on Day 3.

India appeared to be in control for the first two sessions, conceding 75 and 74 runs respectively, but it was in the final session that they allowed the visiting team to gallop away with the game, conceding 106 runs.

Green used his reach to violently pull Mohammed Shami for a couple of fours on either side of square leg, then thumped Ashwin and Jadeja through the covers.

When Rohit Sharma chose the second new ball, Australia's score was 201 for 4 after 82 overs. After that, the scoring rate skyrocketed, with Green and Khawaja smashing 44 runs off the final eight overs of the day.

Shami, after a rusty start to the day, was by far the best Indian bowler on view as he picked up a couple of wickets. After peppering him with some fiery short pitched deliveries, the pacer forced Marnus Labuschagne to chop one on to the stumps and then splayed Peter Handscomb's stumps with a straighter one.

In the first session, Ashwin gave India the breakthrough when Head offered a catch to Jadeja while trying to clear mid-on. When wicketkeeper KS Bharat dropped a sitter off Umesh Yadav's bowling, the left-hander was given a reprieve.

Smith, who had batted tenaciously for 38 runs, was bowled by Jadeja off an inside edge.

Due to the presence of Indian Prime Minister Modi and his Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese at the venue to commemorate 75 years of friendship between India and Australia, both teams were asked to conduct their pre-match rituals in the adjoining nets area outside the ground.

Smith, who had batted tenaciously for 38 runs, was bowled by Jadeja off an inside edge.

Due to the presence of Indian Prime Minister Modi and his Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese at the venue to commemorate 75 years of friendship between India and Australia, both teams were asked to conduct their pre-match rituals in the adjoining nets area outside the ground.

Both leaders took a lap of honour on a cricket-themed gold cart before joining the teams in singing the national anthem before the game began.

According to some estimates, there were around 50,000-60,000 people at the start of the day. A large portion of them left after the ceremony.

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