Stumps, Day 1 | That's the end of day's play. Even-steven after the opening day of the Gabba Test. India did well to pick five Australian wickets and the hosts also did a fair job to put over 250 on board. At close of play Australia are 274 for five with Cameron Green and Tim Paine at the crease batting on 28 and 38 respectively.
Second new ball is due for India. The visitors will be looking to take it straightaway and run through the remaining Australian line-up. Meanwhile, Cameron Green and Tim Paine have added 33 runs so far for the sixth wicket.
OUT! Massive wicket this for India. T Natarajan strikes again, he gets rid of Marnus Labuschagne. Fresh from his century, the right-handed batsman gets a top-edge and Rishabh Pant takes the catch. India chipping away with wickets. M Labuschagne c Pant b T Natarajan 108(204)
OUT! India manage to break this partnership. It is T Natarajan who strikes, his maiden wicket in Tests. Matthew Wade gets a top-edge and Shardul Thakur running from mid-on takes the catch. M Wade c Thakur b T Natarajan 45(87)
Hundred up for Marnus Labuschagne! What a knock this has been. Gets to the landmark with a boundary. Fifth Test century for the right-handed batsman.
That's tea break on day one. Just one wicket for India in this session, that of Steve Smith. Marnus Labuschagne is lucky to be out there batting on 73 and giving him company is Matthew Wade on 27.
Marnus Labuschagne has completed his half-century. He holds key for Australia. Meanwhile, Matthew Wade is his new partner and he is looking more cautious than ever.
OUT! Maiden Test wicket for Washington Sundar. He gets the big wicket of Steve Smith. Rohit Sharma takes the catch at short mid-wicket. S Smith c Rohit b Washington Sundar 36(77)
That's lunch on day 1 and the opening session has been shared between both the sides. India managed to remove Australian openers early on and then Marnus Labuschagne and Steve Smith helped hosts rebuild. Smith is batting on 30 while Labuschagne is on 19.
Navdeep Saini has been introduced into the attack. Ajinkya Rahane has now used four bowlers thus far. Meanwhile, the partnership between Marnus Labuschagne and Steve Smith is now worth 44 off 83 balls. After losing openers early on, these two have done well thus far.
India and Australia face-off in the fourth and last Test at The Gabba in Brisbane. The four-match series is currently levelled at one each. Australia won the series opener and then India bounced to level the series. The third Test at the Sydney ended in a draw and it now makes this fixture a series decider. Both teams have injury concerns but India have been impacted a lot. India vs Australia 4th Test 2021 Day 1 Live Streaming Online on DD Sports, Sony LIV and Sony SIX: Get Free Live Telecast of IND vs AUS on TV, Online and Listen to Live Radio Commentary.
Ravindra Jadeja, Hanuma Vihari have been ruled out while Jasprit Bumrah and Ravi Ashwin are doubtful for the fourth Test. Australia, on the other hand, have worries only in the opening slot where they will feature the third opening combination of the series. Will Pucovski is out and Marcus Harris will open with David Warner. The rest of the playing eleven remains the same.
There has been very little time for a turnaround between the third and the fourth Tests, just a three-day gap. Both the bowling sides were put under the pump in the third Test in Sydney. While the Indian bowlers bowled on all of the first four days, the Aussies were made to bowl 131 overs on the final two days. ICYMI: Marnus Labuschagne Took Stunning Catch Against India at The Gabba Four Years Before His Test Debut (Watch Video).
Despite that, the hosts still seem to be far more sure about their line-up than India whose biggest concern is the lower middle-order batting and the bowling attack. There have been talks about playing Washington Sundar. If he plays, the off-spinner could be expected to play as spin-bowling all-rounder more in the mould of Ravindra Jadeja.
India's pace bowling attack, even with Bumrah, is very inexperienced. Without him, they will be really a rookie pace attack. If Bumrah doesn't play, India's pace attack could at best feature bowlers with an overall experience of four Test matches. Australia, with their three frontline bowlers, as well as Camron Green, will feature a pace attack that has 150 Tests in all under its belt.