India vs Australia Live Score, WTC Final 2023: In a high-stakes battle at The Oval, the World Test Championship final witnessed India’s famed top-order crumble against an imposing pace attack, allowing Australia to establish a commanding position on Thursday. Despite a valiant partnership between Ravindra Jadeja and Ajinkya Rahane, the day concluded with India languishing at 151 for five in response to Australia’s mammoth first-innings total of 469, trailing by a daunting 318 runs.
The failure of India’s top-order batsmen can be attributed to a combination of poor shot selection and the relentless pace trio of Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins, and Scott Boland. Shubman Gill and Cheteshwar Pujara, both victims of misjudging the line and length on a pitch with variable bounce, paid a heavy price for their errors. The Australian pacers skillfully exploited the conditions, extracting more from the surface than their Indian counterparts.
Australia’s innings continued for an hour into the afternoon session, adding 142 runs to their overnight score. However, Mohammed Siraj’s exceptional bowling display, resulting in a four-wicket haul, limited the damage for India. The wickets fell at regular intervals, with the tail being cleaned up by Siraj’s incisive bowling.
The struggle for the Indian batsmen was evident in their inability to leave the ball effectively, a crucial skill in English conditions. Gill, who had shown promise, paid the price for his lapse in concentration, leaving a delivery from Boland that rattled his stumps. Pujara, having arrived in England ahead of his teammates, shockingly offered no shot to a sharply-cutting delivery from Cameron Green.
India’s troubles deepened with the dismissals of skipper Rohit Sharma and the talismanic Virat Kohli, both falling victim to exceptional deliveries from Cummins and Starc, respectively. Rahane and Jadeja, however, displayed resilience, attempting to weather the storm unleashed by the Australian pacers. Rahane, lucky to survive an lbw decision off a no ball, fought gallantly while Jadeja showcased his intent with an aggressive innings, including seven boundaries and a magnificent six off Boland.
At the tea break, India found themselves at a precarious 37 for two, with their openers already back in the pavilion. The post-lunch session saw Australia’s Alex Carey playing a crucial role, propelling his team past the 450-run mark with a quick-fire 48 off 69 balls. However, a rash attempted reverse sweep off Jadeja resulted in his downfall, leaving Australia at 469 all out.
Although India managed to claim four wickets in the morning session, Australia maintained their dominance, reaching 422 for seven at lunch thanks to a splendid century by Steve Smith and a heroic knock of 163 by Travis Head. Smith’s mastery was on full display as he effortlessly dispatched loose deliveries, bringing up his seventh hundred in England and his third at The Oval.
The day took an unexpected turn when Thakur dismissed Smith with his very first ball, a remarkable breakthrough that epitomised his knack for striking when least expected. Furthermore, substitute fielder Axar Patel’s exceptional one-handed direct hit from mid-off saw Mitchell Starc fall short of his ground, adding to India’s delight.
As the dust settles on an enthralling day of cricket, Australia clearly holds the upper hand. However, with Rahane still at the crease and Bharat offering support, India’s hopes of mounting a spirited fightback in the World Test Championship final are not entirely extinguished. The upcoming days promise more gripping action as both teams strive to etch their names in cricketing history.
(With inputs from PTI)