Australia in India: Shubman Gill and Virat Kohli lead hosts in fourth Test reply
- Published
Fourth Test, Ahmedabad (day three): |
Australia 480: Khawaja 180, Green 114, Ashwin 6-91 |
India 289-3: Gill 128, Kohli 59*, Kuhnemann 1-43 |
India trail by 191 runs |
Shubman Gill's career-best 128 and an unbeaten 59 from Virat Kohli kept India in contention with a strong reply to Australia in the fourth Test.
Opener Gill featured in three 50-plus partnerships as he recorded his second Test century, helping India to 289-3 at stumps on the third day in Ahmedabad.
India continue to trail by 191 runs but were boosted by Kohli's first Test half-century since January 2022.
Australia are seeking victory in order to draw the series 2-2.
India had resumed on 36-0 but after spinner Matt Kuhnemann broke the 74-run opening stand with Rohit Sharma's wicket, Gill and Cheteshwar Pujara steadily built India's reply with a 113-run partnership.
But they had to endure a 16-over boundary drought after tweaks from Australia stand-in captain Steve Smith, Gill eventually increasing the run rate with back-to-back fours off Cameron Green.
Gill - who replaced KL Rahul in the third Test - brought up his century with a fine sweep off Todd Murphy, but the celebrations were muted when Pujara fell leg before wicket for 42 just four balls later.
Kohli joined him at the crease but a tiring Gill was finally dismissed lbw to Nathan Lyon's off-spin in the final session.
From there Kohli took charge with Ravindra Jadeja, who closed on 16, at the opposite end.
India need to win the match to seal a double in the final of the World Test Championship against Australia, which takes place from 7-11 June at the Oval.