India v Australia, 4th Test: Dharamsala’s debut the stage for India’s biggest test

NEW DELHI: The Himachal Pradesh Cricket Stadium, with the stunning backdrop of the Dhauladar mountain range, is the setting for a Test match with plenty at stake. The series is locked at 1-1 after three engrossing and intense - as well as acrimonious - matches on varied surfaces in Pune, Bangalore and Ranchi and victory in Dharamsala, hosting its first Test match, will decided the winner.India have not got their hands on the Border-Gavaskar Trophy since 2014-15, while Australia can take it home if they win and claim a memorable series victory.
Five epic India v Australia series-deciding Tests
For Australia, there is the added incentive of avoiding defeat in this deciding Test so they can remain at second place in the ICC Test Championship ahead of the cut-off date of April 1, on which India is assured of finishing first and receiving a cash award of $1 million. Should Australia lose and South Africa win or draw with New Zealand in Hamilton, Steve Smith’s team will fall to third.
Dharamsala Test: Are India fit for five-bowler ploy?
If it seemed unthinkable that there would be a deadlock heading into the fourth and final Test of the series, it was because Virat Kohli’s team was on a record unbeaten streak and Australia were in India after failing to win nine consecutive Tests in Asia. In Pune, Australia ransacked a jaded India inside three days to take the lead; on a sharp turner in Bangalore, India hit back with a win that Kohli termed ‘the sweetest’ of his captaincy; a tussle in Ranchi ended in a draw, which has turned Dharamsala’s debut into the biggest match of India’s busiest home season ever.
Shreyas Iyer called up as cover for Virat Kohli for 4th Test
New Zealand, England and Bangladesh were all beaten convincingly, but this is Australia. India know what beating them to regain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy will mean.
Venue: HPCA Stadium, Dharamsala
Start date: March 25, 2017
Time: 09:30 IST
Weather: Partly cloudy with temperatures in the low to mid-20s
Team news:
India
Shreyas Iyer’s sudden arrival as cover for Kohli, who did not bat in the nets on Thursday, has heightened murmurs that India’s captain is doubtful for the decider. Kohli has been on painkillers following the shoulder injury sustained during the Ranchi Test and a call on his fitness will be taken on the morning of the match. It would be a huge blow for India to lose Kohli, who is averaging 9.2 this series.
The HPCA Stadium, with the high altitude, has aided pace more than spin and it could well be that India go in with a five-bowler approach, in which case Karun Nair may drop out and Jayant Yadav slot in. The home team was pondering a shot of pace in the form of Mohammed Shami, who linked up with the squad after a run for Bengal in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, but reports are that he has not been passed fit by the team physio.
If conditions are to aid swing even in the slightest, there is a good chance that Bhuvneshwar Kumar gets a look-in. Should he play, it would most likely be at the expense of Ishant Sharma who has just three wickets to show in three Tests, at 69.66 apiece and at a strike-rate of 156.
Probable XI: 1 Murali Vijay, 2 KL Rahul, 3 Cheteshwar Pujara, 4 Shreyas Iyer/Virat Kohli (capt), 5 Ajinkya Rahane, 6 Karun Nair/Jayant Yadav, 7 Wriddhiman Saha (wk), 8 R Ashwin, 9 Ravindra Jadeja, 10 Ishant Sharma/Buvneshwar Kumar, 11 Umesh Yadav
Australia
The tourists are expecting the Dharamsala surface to be as batting-friendly as the one in Ranchi, despite a light covering of grass and some small surface cracks. Pat Cummins has been given the go-ahead for this match following precautionary scenes on his spine the day after the last Test, which means that there are no injury concerns. One possible change could be to add another pace option in Jackson Bird, in place of left-arm spinner Steve O'Keefe who since claiming 12 wickets in Pune has managed six in two Tests, and bowled a record 77 overs in Ranchi.
Probable XI: 1 David Warner, 2 Matt Renshaw, 3 Shaun Marsh, 4 Steve Smith (capt), 5 Peter Hanscomb, 6 Glenn Maxwell, 7 Matthew Wade, 8 Pat Cummins, 9 Steve O’Keefe/Jackson Bird, 10 Josh Hazlewood, 11 Nathan Lyon
Quotes:
“The pressure is firmly on them. We can draw it but we obviously want to win it, win 2-1 and win a series in India which rarely happens." - Josh Hazlewood
“We have played enough cricket on different pitches throughout the season. So I don't think the wicket will matter a lot to us. We are very confident, the way we have played throughout the series.” - Cheteshwar Pujara