Published 17:33 IST, January 15th 2021
Washington Sundar wishes for Navdeep Saini to bowl the first over on Day 2 of 4th Test
Offie Washington Sundar expects pacer Navdeep Saini to bowl the first over of Day 2 against Australia in the series-deciding 4th Test at the Gabba, Brisbane
Advertisement
Injury concerns mounted further for Team India as frontline pacer Navdeep Saini was taken for scans after complaining of groin pain on the opening day of the series-deciding fourth and final Test match at the Gabba, Brisbane. However, his team-mate and off-spinner Washington Sundar wishes to see the pacer bowling the first over on Saturday i.e. Day 2.
'I really wish he comes back and bowls...': Washington Sundar
"To be honest I have no idea about that but let's see. I really wish he comes back and bowls the first over tomorrow," the debutant said while replying to a query from ANI.
Saini limped off the field due to groin pain and was taken for the scans. Vice-captain Rohit Sharma then completed Saini's over. With an inexperienced Indian bowling attack deployed for the fourth Test, Washington picked the important wicket of Steve Smith which also happened to be his maiden scalp in red-ball cricket.
Australia eye a mammoth total
The coin once again landed in Australian Test skipper Tim Paine's favour and for the third straight time, he elected to bat first. The Aussies lost both their openers David Warner & Marcus Harris early before their famed top-order duo of Marnus Labuschagne and Steven Smith carried out the rescue act with a 70-run stand for the fourth wicket before the latter was dismissed.
Labuschagne did get some support from middle-order batsman Matthew Wade (45) but it was the South African-born cricketer who took matters into his own hands and went after the 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. The 26-year-old made the visitors pay for and notched up his fifth Test century and just when it appeared that the 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.
The middle-order duo of Cameron Green (28*) and skipper Paine (38*) have currently registered an unbeaten 61-run stand for the sixth-wicket as Australia's scorecard read 274/5 at stumps on Day 1.
The hosts will be eyeing a mammoth total when they resume their innings on Day 2.
17:33 IST, January 15th 2021