Bhogle, Jaffer laud Dravid's efforts as injury-hit India assemble young guns for 4th Test

After a gutsy fight against Australia at SCG, India took to field in Brisbane on Friday morning for final battle. With series levelled, India and Australia locked horns in fourth Test, as both teams set ir eyes on Border Gavaskar Trophy. However, India set foot at Gabba with a long list of injured players, consequently, fielding ir second-best side. 

To add on to India's misery, Navdeep Saini limped off field early on day 1 whereas Shardul Thakur was also sent off towards end. As Men in Blue put up a tough fight against Australia in Brisbane, former cricketer Wasim Jaffer and Voice of Cricket Harsha Bhogle have lauded efforts of former India skipper Rahul Dravid for grooming youngsters well in time. Dravid, who w heads National Cricket Academy (NCA), has also been coach of U-19 cricket team once where he coached Rishabh Pant, Prithvi Shaw and Shubman Gill - all of whom have w found ir spot in main team. 

Taking to Twitter, Bhogle wrote that if India is able to put out a 'reasonable' team despite injuries, 'A' tours in last 3-4 years should be applauded. He also extended his thanks to Rahul Dravid for 'finishing' school. Echoing similar views, former India cricketer Wasim Jaffer wrote that Dravid could have analysed game from a commentary box but he decided to help out youngsters to ensure 'supply of match-ready talent isn't disrupted.' Jaffer also remarked that 'collective efforts' of Rahul Dravid, Virat Kohli, Ravi Shastri and Bharat Arun have resulted in this success. 

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India dealt with injury blows

India's Test series began with Mohammed Shami's injury in first game at Adelaide after which Umesh Yadav was ruled out of series post Boxing Day Test. Men in Blue, who were already without services of Ishant Sharma and Bhuvenshwar Kumar, n lost Ravichandran Ashwin and Hanuma Vihari after ir heroics at SCG. In third Test, Ravindra Jadeja also sustained an injury and was consequently ruled out for 6 weeks. Prior to Jadeja, KL Rahul had to fly back home due to a wrist injury. Team India is also without skipper Virat Kohli, who returned back home after first Test for birth of his child. As a result, Indian playing XI fielded at Brisbane for final battle had bagged less wickets in Tests than Steve Smith who has 13 in his bag. 

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Saini limps off field 

India could be dealt with ar major blow as pacer Navdeep Saini complained of pain in his groin area forcing him to limp off field on Day one of 4th Test against Australia at Brisbane. Playing Border-Gavaskar Trophy decider at hosts' fort Gabba, India are already faced with sufficient trouble by fielding an inexperienced side due to a series of injuries to experienced stars over last two games. Providing an update on Navdeep Saini, BCCI informed that pacer was being monitored by BCCI's medical team after he complained of pain in his groin. young gun has been taken for scans and an official comment is yet awaited on his injury. 

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Australia eye a mammoth total

coin once again landed in Australian Test skipper Tim Paine's favour and for third straight time, he elected to bat first. Aussies lost both ir openers David Warner & Marcus Harris early before ir famed top-order duo of Marnus Labuschagne and Steven Smith carried out rescue act with a 70-run stand for fourth wicket before latter was dismissed.

Labuschagne did get some support from middle-order batsman Matw Wade (45) but it was South African-born cricketer who took matters into his own hands and went after Indian bowlers. He got a reprieve when he was batting on 37 after he was dropped by India's stand-in-captain Ajinkya Rahane at gully. 26-year-old made visitors pay for and tched up his fifth Test century and just when it appeared that number three batsman was unstoppable, he was dismissed for 108 after mistiming a pull shot and was caught behind by Rishabh Pant off T Natarajan. Australia are 274/5 at stumps on Day 1. 

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