India vs Australia 4th Test 2008: Preview and Live Score

The fourth test of the ongoing test series between India and Australia kicks off tomorrow (6 November 2008) at the Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium in Nagpur. With India leading 1-0 in the series, Australia is now left with only one option- they have to win the test in order to hold on the Border-Gavaskar trophy. After India’s 320-run comprehensive victory at Mohali, Australia has no alternative of winning the fourth test in order to level the series. The world champions must draw the series in order to keep the prestigious Border-Gavaskar trophy under their control.

Match: India vs Australia, Fourth Test, Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2008-2009

Date: 6 October 2008, Thursday

Venue: Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium in Nagpur

Kick off: 09:30 local time (04:00 GMT)

Live on: NEO Sports

There is no doubt, a lot of things are now at stake around this very important test match. After seven long years, Australian team is on the verge of losing the title of the series and if Australia can not defend the title successfully this time, the limitations they are facing these days will be well-documented. After a number of star players being retired in quick succession over the last couple of years, Australian team is now going through a formation period and there is no doubt, their dominance in the cricket world has somewhat been curtailed very recently. They desperately need a quality spinner who can at least become a handy replacement for Shane Warne, if not perfect replacement.

For India, it is an important match too. Last time they lifted the Border-Gavaskar trophy was in 2001 when Sourav Ganguly’s ‘Team India’ outclassed the Steve Waugh’s mighty Australia. However, lots of things have been changed in these seven years. Sourav Ganguly is going to play his last international match in Nagpur as the left handed batsman has already announced his retirement from international cricket after this high-profile test series.

Moreover, Indian captain Anil Kumble announced his retirement after the drawn third test in Delhi and Mahendra Singh Dhoni, for the first time, will lead India not as a stand in captain. The wicketkeeper batsman has reputation for his aggressive style of captaincy. Now, it will be interesting to see if Dhoni goes for a win or a mere draw which is enough to retain the title. The match is also significant as it is going to be VVS Laxman’s 100th test.

Australia might hand spinner Jason Krejza his test debut in this test, but it is not yet confirmed who will make way for the spinner. All rounder Cameron White could not prove himself as handy a spinner as Australia needed to dominate over the Indian batsmen in the first three tests, but his batting ability at no. 8 position is badly needed for Australian batting line up that consists of only five specialist batsmen. Shane Watson has been pretty much successful so far in the series and I do not think Australian team management will replace him just to give Krejza a chance to prove his skill and talent, when the match is so important.

As no first class match was held earlier in this ground, the nature of wicket remains a mystery for both sides. Ricky Ponting said that the wicket was hard and there was no grass over the surface. That is why, he thinks that the wicket will help the spinner, considering India’s habit of making spinning wicket for the home series. However, India will not get Anil Kumble anymore and Harbhajan Singh now has to step up to take more responsibility from now on, because the off spinner will now spearhead India’s spin attack in all forms of cricket. Harbhajan Singh missed the Delhi test with a toe injury, but he has already recovered from the injury. Harbhajan Singh needs one more wicket to reach the mark of 300 test wickets in what he would become the only second Indian spinner after Anil Kumble to achieve this record. Well, you might argue that losing Kumble may not be a big problem for India, considering the fact that Kumble was not at his top form recently and spinners like Amit Mishra may take up his job. Well, to be honest, I am not that much optimistic. It is true that Kumble was not at his best in the series, but he could have played a big role in this very important nervy game. Moreover, Amit Mishra has the talent, skill and guile to give 100 % for the team, but he is yet to go a long way to claim that he would be able to take the place left by Anil Kumble in the Indian team. I think, Harbhajan Singh must have to play a big role in the fourth test. Reports have it that Mishra might be left out for the test, but I think, India will make a big mistake if they really keep him out of the first eleven for the fourth test.

There should be another change in the Indian side. Gautam Gambhir will not be able to take part in the fourth match as his appeal against one-test ban was rejected by ICC. Losing Gambhir will be a big blow for India as the left handed opener was enjoying perhaps his career best form in this series. Gambhir hit a double century in Delhi, after scoring hundred in Mohali. In fact, he is the leading scorer of the series at this moment. Tamil Nadu opener Murali Vijay will replace Gambhir in the squad and would open for India alongside Virender Sehwag. Murali Vijay had an excellent season in Ranji Trophy last year and he followed that up with a double century in the first match of the season.

Australian batsmen showed in Delhi that they could stand up well if needed, but Australian bowlers have to play their part successfully in Nagpur in order to restrain India from retaining the Border-Gavaskar trophy. Brett Lee will get the last chance to keep his reputation as one of the best fast bowlers of current time intact. Mitchell Johnson and Stuart Clark both have to play their task pretty successfully if they want to create pressure on Indian batsmen. Australia naturally plays well in big matches, but under a fighting captain like Mahendra Singh Dhoni, India will not be broken easily.

Online Live Score and Update

Here, I am giving some names of online live score and update websites from where you can get the live score and updates of this much-awaited test match:

Cricinfo
Cricketnext
Cricket.sulekha
stickcricket
cricpoint
indvsauslivescore
cricbuzz
squidoo
Sify
cricketworld

Cricket fans saw some competition and excitement only in the first test in Bangalore so far in this series. The second test in Mohali was an one-sided match, while third match did not give enough excitement to the cricket fans. However, I guess, the fourth test will be different and it will be a hardly-fought match with lots of excitement, given the overall situation of the series.