show me:

Snapshot of day one of the fourth Test

3 minute read

A snapshot of day one of the fourth cricket Test between Australia and India at the Gabba.

MARNUS LABUSCHAGNE of Australia. Picture: Gareth Copley/Getty Images

AUSTRALIA v INDIA, FOURTH TEST, DAY ONE:

Score: Australia 5-274

Summary: Asked to field with a staggering 11 players - eight of them bowlers - unavailable, India maintained the fight as Australia recovered from the loss of two early wickets before more soft exits late in the day gave the tourists hope.

Man of the moment: Marnus Labuschagne. The local favourite made the most of two more dropped catches to finally hit three figures in the series, a patient 108 his fifth century in just his 18th Test.

Key moment: Australia should have slumped to 4-93 when Labuschagne, on 37, edged a simple chance to Ajinkya Rahane at gully. Then, just as they clawed their way back into the contest, Shardul Thakur spilled a return catch that would have produced a sixth wicket just before the second new ball was due.

Stat of the day: India's tally of just 13 Test wickets between their starting XI bowlers before play on Friday was the lowest total since their attack arrived at Lord's in 1946 with just five to their name. Australia, in contrast, boasted 1046 wickets from their bowlers and hadn't faced a less-experienced Test attack in terms of wickets taken since 1880.

Quote of the day: "This was the Jamaican bobsled team having a crack at the Winter Olympics but here they are, a couple of poles now, and they'll win the day," Kerry O'Keeffe said in Fox Sports commentary of the depleted but lion-hearted Indian attack.