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The 36-year-old Pakistan-born Khawaja batted proper by way of the day for his 104 (255 balls, 15×4) on the Narendra Modi Stadium on Thursday. He was accompanied by allrounder Cameron Green who had settled in properly with a brisk 49 (64 b, 8×4) not out towards a tiring set of India’s bowlers.
It was a basic old school knock by Khawaja. He wore down the opposition and appeared eager to play out the periods with out bothering concerning the scoring fee. He minimize out all the lovable pictures which he had employed on rank turners at Nagpur, Delhi and Indore and as a substitute, used the flick to good impact.
Khawaja’s was the primary Australian three-figure rating of the collection, and it got here on the again of three helpful partnerships. The left-hander placed on 61 runs with Travis Head to start with after which constructed a workman-like 79-run stand for the third wicket with stand-in skipper Steve Smith between lunch and tea which took 248 balls to come back.
Khawaja then added 84 runs with for the fifth wicket of simply 115 deliveries.
Indian spinners, who’ve dominated the collection this far, struggled on the flat observe. It was solely late within the day that R Ashwin obtained a few deliveries to show sharply. If Australia do handle to get a sizeable first innings rating, the indicators might be ominous for the Indian batters going forward because the demons within the pitch are prone to get up late on Day 2 or early on Day 3.
India did look in management for the primary two periods the place they conceded 75 and 74 runs, however it was within the closing interval of play that they allowed the visiting staff to gallop away with the sport by conceding 106 runs.
Green, making good use of his attain, pulled Mohammed Shami violently for a few fours on both facet of sq. le g after which thumped Ashwin and Jadeja by way of the covers.
Australia’s rating was 201 for 4 after 82 overs when Rohit Sharma opted for the second new ball. The scoring fee elevated drastically after that as Green and Khawaja smashed 44 runs off the final eight overs of the day.
Shami, after a rusty begin to the day, was by far the very best Indian bowler on view as he picked up a few wickets. The pacer compelled Marnus Labuschagne to cut one on to the stumps after which he splayed Peter Handscomb’s stumps with a straighter one after peppering him with some fiery shortpitched deliveries.
Ashwin had supplied India the breakthrough within the first session when Head, whereas attempting to clear midon, provided a catch to Jadeja. The left-hander was given a let-off when wicketkeeper KS Bharat spilled a sitter off Umesh Yadav’s bowling.
Smith, batting doggedly for 38, was bowled by Jadeja off an inside edge.
Earlier, each groups had been requested to undergo their pre-match rituals within the adjoining nets space outdoors the bottom as a result of presence of Indian prime minister Modi and his Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese on the venue to mark the event of 75 years of friendship between India and Australia.
Both leaders went on a lap of honour on a cricket-theme golf cart after which they joined the groups in singing the nationwide anthem earlier than the beginning of play.
According to some estimates there have been spherical 50,000-60,000 folks firstly of the day. A superb chunk of them left the bottom after the ceremony was over.
Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com