Kohli’s marathon knock, Axar’s 50 puts India at driver’s seat, hosts lead by 88 runs (Stumps)

Ahmedabad (Gujarat) [India], March 12 (ANI): A marathon innings effort from star batter Virat Kohli, who hit his first Test ton since November 2019 and his 162-run partnership with Axar Patel helped India end the fourth day of fourth and final Test against Australia with a lead of 88 runs in Ahmedabad on Sunday.
At the end of the final session on day 4, Australia was at 3/0, with Matt Kuhnemann (0*) and Travis Head (3*) unbeaten on the crease. Australia trail by 88 runs.
India started the final session at 472/5 with Kohli (135*), Patel (38*) unbeaten at the crease.
Kohli smashed Cameron Green for two consecutive boundaries to bring up his 150 in 313 balls.
Axar continued to perform the duty for which he was sent, to get some quick runs. He brought up his fourth half-century in Tests, third in this series in 95 balls.
India brought up their 500-run mark in 163.5 overs.
Axar continued with his aggressive batting, hitting Kuhnemann for three sixes, including two sixes in a single over.
But Mitchell Starc's pace got the last laugh as he dismissed Axar for 79 off 113 balls, consisting of five fours and four sixes. An inside edge rattled Axar's stumps. India was 555/6 at that point.
Australia continued to make a short comeback into the match, dismissing Ravichandran Ashwin (7) and Umesh Yadav (0) before they could build a solid partnership with Virat. Ashwin became Lyon's third wicket after being caught by Matt Kuhnemann at deep-midwicket while Umesh was run out.
India was 569/8.
Todd Murphy got Virat Kohli for the fourth time in the series, dismissing him for 186 off 364 balls, consisting of 15 boundaries. With Shreyas Iyer not batting due to a back injury, India ended their innings at 571 in 178.5 overs.
Murphy (3/113) and Lyon (3/151) were the pick of the bowlers for Australia. Starc and Kuhnemann got a wicket each.
India ended their innings with a lead of 91 runs in their hand.
Australia came out to bat with Matt Kunhemann as one of the openers with Travis Head.
The spin duo of Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja tried to test the batters but failed to produce a wicket. Mohammed Shami also bowled a single over, in which he gave away one run.
Kuhnemann-Head took Aussies through the remainder of the day without any damage.
Earlier, Virat Kohli finally ended his Test century drought as he slammed an outstanding ton to put India in a commanding position on Day 4 of the ongoing fourth Test match against Australia here at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Sunday.
At the time of Tea, India's score read 472/5 with Kohli (135)* and Axar Patel (38)* unbeaten at the crease. The hosts still trail by just 8 runs.
Kohli ended his Test century drought as he slammed his first Test century since November 2019.
After Lunch, Indian batters Virat Kohli and Srikar Bharat opened their hands and slammed Australian bowlers at regular intervals for boundaries.
Cameron Green was on the receiving end with Bharat smashing him for 21 runs with the help of two boundaries and two sixes in an over.
Bharat's blistering stint at the crease came to an end as he was dismissed by Nathan Lyon for 44. The left-handed batter Axar Patel then came out to bat at the crease.
Kohli ended his Test century drought as he slammed his first Test century since November 2019. The former India captain brought up his much-needed hundred in 241 balls. It was the most-awaited ton as his last century came against Bangladesh in November 2019. With this century, he took his international century tally to 75.
Kohli continued his blistering form and slammed Mitchell Starc for brilliant two boundaries collecting 9 runs. Kohli along with Patel took India's total beyond the 400-run mark in the 140 overs of the game.
The duo of Kohli and Patel stitched up their 50-run partnership stand --the 6th consecutive 50-run partnership for Team India.
The Indian pair remained unbeaten as the visitors ended the session at 472/5.
Earlier, Kohli and Srikar Bharat showed remarkable skill and determination to frustrate the Australian bowling attack in the opening session of Day 4.
India started the first session at 289/3, with Virat (59*) and Jadeja (16*) unbeaten.
The batting pair of Ravindra Jadeja and Virat Kohli were decisive in their approach and made the Australian bowlers toil hard making merry of the excellent batting conditions on offer.
Australia skipper Steve Smith introduced Cameron Green into the attack in the very first over of day 4 and the bowler concede just 4 runs. Australia started with spin with Nathan Lyon and Todd Murphy bowling in tandem from both ends.
The duo of Jadeja and Kohli took India's total beyond the 300-run mark in the 102nd over of the game. However, the 64-run partnership stand was broken by Murphy who dismissed Jadeja for 28 runs. Srikar Bharat then came out to bat.
The Indian batters rotated the strike brilliantly, not allowing the Australian bowlers to settle down while whacking the loose balls on offer.
Kohli and Bharat both were aggressors of the batting pair, smashing boundaries regularly. The duo stitched a solid 50-run partnership for Team India.
The Indian pair took India's score beyond the 350-run mark as the first session ended.
Brief Scores: India: 571 (Virat Kohli 186, Shubman Gill 128, Todd Murphy 3/113) vs Australia: 480 and 3/0 (Travis Head 3*, Matt Kuhnemann 0*). (ANI)