WTC Final, IND vs AUS: India fightback despite 280-run deficit; Kohli and Rahane lead the charge

Team India stages a comeback in the World Test Championship Final, defying a 280-run deficit. Australia's Carey and Starc impress, while India's Kohli and Rahane spearhead the team's resurgence.

The fourth day of the World Test Championship Final 2023 concluded with an exhilarating display of cricket as India ended in a deficit of 280 runs. It was a day filled with ups and downs as both teams fought bravely. Notable performances included Carey and Starc's resilient batting for Australia, while the Indian team displayed a positive mindset. Currently, Virat Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane are leading the charge for India, keeping their team in the game.

Despite losing Marnus Labuschagne earlier in the day, Alex Carey and Cameron Green held on for a significant period. They built a partnership of 43 runs before Ravindra Jadeja dismissed the all-rounder, targeting the rough patch around the fifth stump of the left-hander. However, Mitchell Starc and Alex Carey stood their ground.

Following that, a frustrating 93-run partnership prolonged India's challenge. Mitchell Starc displayed excellent batting skills but fell nine runs short of a half-century. He was eventually defeated by the second new ball. Meanwhile, Carey confidently faced the spinners and played some impressive shots, setting a daunting target for India in the fourth innings.

India faced a challenging task of chasing down 444 runs with approximately four and a half sessions remaining.

Shubman Gill and Rohit Sharma led the Indian innings with their usual flair. The opening over itself saw a boundary from the Indian skipper. The duo played some attacking shots until Gill was dismissed just before lunch. Boland induced an outside edge from Gill, which was brilliantly caught by Cameron Green diving to his left at gully.

The TV umpire, Richard Kettleborough, confirmed the clean catch, favouring the fielding side which also created a lot of drama on the field. Rohit Sharma was clearly unhappy with the decision and expressed his feeling to the umpire 

Subsequently, Rohit and Pujara steadied the ship with a fifty-plus-run partnership. While Pujara seemed out of character, Rohit played some outstanding shots. The Australian team set a trap to exploit Pujara's vulnerability, but the Indian captain cleverly navigated through it.

Nathan Lyon broke the partnership as he trapped Rohit in front during his first over of the innings. Shortly after, Pujara fell to Pat Cummins after nicking a bouncer in a rather unfortunate manner. The sudden dismissals increased the pressure on India, but Kohli and Rahane entered the crease as the new batsmen.

Both experienced players approached their innings cautiously, finding occasional boundaries against both spinners and pacers. They capitalized on overpitched and wide deliveries. The duo formed an unbeaten partnership of 71 runs, aiming to continue their resilient performance on the fifth day of the Test match.