BGT 2022-23: Khawaja notches up a fifty, India's lead down to single digits

Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2022-23: After winning the toss and electing to bat first, India were bowled out for 109. In reply, Australia have reached 101/1 thanks to Usman Khawaja's fifty

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Usman Khawaja has notched up ahard-working iffyty and taken Australia past 100 as they chase India's first innings score of 109. Trailing by just eight runs in the last session of the day, the Aussies are firmly at the top.

Earlier in the day, Team India won the toss and elected to bat first at the Holkar Stadium in Indore.

Frenetic play followed, where every ball was literally an event as the ball turned big apart from variable bounce coming into play.

Rohit and Shubman Gill hit six delightful boundaries in the first five overs. But from there, Australia's spinners spun a vicious web to trap the Indian batters. Rohit was the first to fall, dancing down the pitch to go over mid-on but couldn't get to the pitch of the ball as it turned sharply and was stumped off Kuhnemann.

The left-arm spinner returned in his next over as Gill perished to a defensive prod and was caught at first slip. Lyon then got one to turn in sharply and break through Cheteshwar Pujara's defence to hit the stumps. Ravindra Jadeja's promotion backfired as he couldn't keep the cut down and was caught at cover off Lyon.

In the next over, Shreyas Iyer chopped on to his stumps off Kuhnemann for a two-ball duck. While other batters crumbled, Virat Kohli looked assured in his defence and also found some timely boundaries.

But his stay ended at 22 when off-spinner Todd Murphy trapped him in front of stumps. KS Bharat cracked a powerful sweep and slog-sweep, but was also trapped lbw off Lyon at the stroke of lunch. In the end, India finished at 109 all out in only 33.2 overs.

At the toss, India captain Rohit Sharma said, "Two changes, Shubman Gill and Umesh Yadav replace KL Rahul and Mohammed Shami,"

Whereas, Australia stand-in skipper Steve Smith said, "Guys have had time to rest and reflect. Need to stick to our methods for longer. Went away from it in the second innings in Delhi. Two changes: Mitch Starc and Cam Green come in for Pat Cummins and David Warner." 

India Playing XI

Shubman Gill, Rohit Sharma (C), Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Ravindra Jadeja, Srikar Bharat, Ravichandran Ashwin, Axar Patel, Umesh Yadav, Mohammed Siraj

Australia Playing XI

Usman Khawaja, Travis Head, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith (C), Peter Handscomb, Cameron Green, Alex Carey, Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Todd Murphy, Matthew Kuhnemann