🏏 WTC Final 2023, India vs Australia: Kennington Oval, London 🏏 - Page 99

Hello and welcome to our coverage of Day 4 of the WTC Final. It's another bright and sunny morning at The Oval and Australia are still well ahead in the game despite a spirited effort from India yesterday. They lead by 296 with six wickets still in hand, although the going hasn't been easy against some really good bowling. India, buoyed by the Rahane-Thakur rearguard, came out firing with the new ball, and later found ways to keep chipping away even as the ball got older. They will need to keep at it this morning to have any hope of restricting Australia to a target under 350-375. Even that would be a formidable ask in the fourth innings, but at least it gives them an outside chance on a pitch that doesn't have as much help for the pacers when the ball is older. As for the spinner, Jadeja got it to rip out of the footmarks last evening but those rough areas are only outside the left-hander's off stump. They won't be in play when Lyon is bowling to India's right-handed dominated lineup.

Pitch report | Nasser Hussain and Ravi Shastri: Warmest day of the Test. Looked like a new ball pitch yesterday afternoon. It was bouncing up from Siraj from the pavilion end. Didn't do that much when it got older. Variation in bounce was 72cms (between new ball and old ball). The cracks are at a natural length for Cummins and Siraj. Not a lot of rough for right-handers. How India's top order play the new ball will be the key.

Shardul Thakur: If we think too ahead right now it would be silly. Have to take things as they come. Just want to take the game forward as it comes. The pitch has been behaving funny. When the game started the ball was nipping around. Then there was up and down bounce on Day 2 and 3. I was in a bit of pain (after those blows). I felt I had to stand there and keep negotiating for the team.

Pitch report | Nasser Hussain and Ravi Shastri: Warmest day of the Test. Looked like a new ball pitch yesterday afternoon. It was bouncing up from Siraj from the pavilion end. Didn't do that much when it got older. Variation in bounce was 72cms (between new ball and old ball). The cracks are at a natural length for Cummins and Siraj. Not a lot of rough for right-handers. How India's top order play the new ball will be the key.

Shardul Thakur: If we think too ahead right now, it would be silly. You have to take things as they come. I just want to take the game as it comes. The pitch has been behaving funny. When the game started, the ball was nipping around. Then there was an up-and-down bounce on Day 2 and 3. I was in a bit of pain (after those blows). I felt I had to stand there and keep negotiating for the team.

Umesh Yadav bowling the first over.

Now, India needs wickets, at least three wickets in the first session—and only then will there be any chance to win.

India in a huddle near the boundary while the two Australian batters walk to the centre. Good crowd in again today. Labuschagne wasn't at his fluent best last evening. Looked uncomfortable against the new ball, took some blows but has hung in. Oh it will be Umesh Yadav to start off this morning. Bit of a surprise. Two slips and a gully in place. Here's Umesh.

Ritesh: "Labuschange has fallen around 8-9 times in this innings!"

Maiden ovr

Good start from shami