India’s injury woes increased Friday for the series-deciding cricket test against Australia with pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah and key spinner Ravichandran Ashwin among four players ruled out of the match.
Bumrah had an abdominal injury from the third test and Ashwin has a sore back. Ashwin’s resolute innings at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Monday helped India salvage a draw to keep the series level at 1-1 heading to the Gabba.
Australia won the toss for the fourth straight test and elected to bat, giving Marcus Harris an immediate start as a replacement for injured opener Will Pucovski. That was the only change in the Australian lineup.
Spectators arrive ahead of play on the first day of the fourth cricket test between India and Australia at the Gabba, Brisbane, Australia, Friday, Jan. 15, 2021. (AP PhotoTertius Pickard)
India gave debuts to Thangarasu Natarajan and Washington Sundar and recalled Mayank Agarwal and Shardul Thakur. Natarajan will replace Bumrah, becoming the third paceman to make a test debut for India in the last three tests.
Lineups:
Australia: David Warner, Marcus Harris, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Matthew Wade, Cameron Green, Tim Paine (captain), Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood.
Australian captain Tim Paine, right, and coach Justin Lander inspect the pitch ahead of play on the first day of the fourth cricket test between India and Australia at the Gabba, Brisbane, Australia, Friday, Jan. 15, 2021. (AP PhotoTertius Pickard)
India: Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane (captain), Mayank Agarwal, Rishabh Pant, Washington Sundar, Shardul Thakur, Navdeep Saini, Mohammed Siraj, Thangarasu Natarajan.
Umpires: Bruce Oxenford and Paul Wilson, Australia.
Match Referee: David Boon, Australia. Third Umpire: Paul Reiffel, Australia.
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