Usman Khawaja dashes India’s hopes of sweeping Australia in Test series

• Usman Khawaja dashes India’s hopes of sweeping Australia in the Test series.
• Cameron Green scored his first century to lead the visiting Australia to 409-7.
• Khawaja maintained composure to smash the Australian record for the longest Test innings in India.

AHMEDABAD: Usman Khawaja challenged India to remain unbeaten at 180, while Cameron Green scored his first century to lead the visiting Australia to 409-7 at tea on day two of the fourth Test on Friday.

The Ahmedabad surface continued to favour batsmen, but Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin picked up three wickets in the second session, including Green’s.

In this low-scoring series, massive all-rounder Green reached his first international century with a boundary and was embraced by Khawaja before being dismissed for 114.

In one over, Ashwin claimed two wickets. Australia’s highest Test partnership in India since 1979, at 208, was broken by him after he got Green caught behind by a delivery that was sliding down the leg side.

Three balls later, he sent back Mitchell Starc for his fourth wicket of the innings, and three balls after that, he got wicketkeeper-batsman Alex Carey out for a duck.

The left-handed Khawaja continued to toil from one end with Nathan Lyon for the team on six at the interval after scoring his first Indian Test ton on day one and 14th overall.

Throughout his 421-ball stint, Khawaja maintained composure to smash the Australian record for the longest Test innings in India. Graham Yallop’s 392-ball innings in Kolkata in 1979 held the previous record.

Once Australia decided to bat in an effort to even the series at two games each, the opener, who had resumed on his overnight score of 104, assumed control.

Late in the first day, Green joined him to attack the opposition.

In order to win the four-match series and guarantee a spot in the World Test Championship (WTC) final at The Oval in June, the hosts must triumph.

In place of Pat Cummins, Australia’s normal Test captain, Steve Smith is the team’s captain.

After learning of Cummins’ mother’s passing on Friday, Australia’s athletes wore black armbands.

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