NEW DELHI: In the World Test Championship (WTC) final at The Oval, Australia reached 73 for two at lunch against India on the opening day on Wednesday. After winning the toss, Indian captain Rohit Sharma chose to insert Australia on a grassy wicket.
Australia lost their opener Usman Khawaja for a duck, but David Warner (43) and Marnus Labuschagne (26*) stabilised the innings with a 69-run partnership. Warner was dismissed by Shardul Thakur in the penultimate over before lunch. Marnus Labuschagne remained unbeaten on 26 at the interval.
Both Mohammed Shami and Mohammed Siraj started with maiden overs, and Siraj went on to take the wicket of Khawaja with a wobble-seam delivery that caught the edge of the bat and was caught by wicketkeeper KS Bharat. Labuschagne also faced a rising delivery from Siraj that hit his thumb and knocked the bat out of his hand.
Warner found his rhythm and hit Umesh Yadav for four fours in an over, including three consecutive boundaries. Shardul Thakur had two lbw appeals against Labuschagne, but India reviewed both decisions unsuccessfully.
Just before the lunch break, Warner gloved the ball while attempting a pull shot, and Bharat dived to his right to take the catch, dismissing Warner for 43. Steve Smith remained unbeaten on two at the interval. Smith has an impressive Test average of 97 at The Oval.
India opted for a seam-heavy attack, with Ravindra Jadeja being their lone spin option, as off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin did not feature in the playing XI. Australia made a change in their lineup, with Scott Boland replacing the injured fast bowler Josh Hazlewood.
(With inputs from Reuters)
