India vs Australia: Fourth Test ends in draw as India lift Border-Gavaskar Trophy for 4th consecutive time

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The fourth Test at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad ended in a draw as India clinched the Border-Gavaskar Trophy for the fourth consecutive time on Monday. This is the first time in over 30 years that a team has defeated Australia in four consecutive Test series.

With Marnus Labuschagne (63*) and Steve Smith (10*) in the middle and Australia batting on 175/2 in the final session of Day 5, the two teams decided to shake hands and call it a day. The high-scoring draw witnessed Australia piled up 480 runs after electing to bat first. India also batted close to 180 overs and finished at 571 even without Shreyas Iyer taking the crease because of a back injury.

India got rid of nightwatchman Matthew Kuhnemann early on Day 5 but nothing transpired after the dismissal. Travis Head scored 90 runs before getting castled by Axar Patel. Labuschagne and Smith had already faced 213 and 59 deliveries respectively and were facing no problems whatsoever. With mere formalities left and an outcome impossible, India captain Rohit Sharma introduced top-order batters Shubman Gill and Cheteshwar Pujara into the attack.

A 4-0 cleansweep of Australia was anticipated after India won the first two Test matches in Nagpur and Delhi. However, Australia, the number one ranked team in the world, bounced back with a thumping nine-wicket win in Indore.

India vs Australia: India win Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2-1

India had to win the last Test in Ahmedabad to win the series 3-1 and book a spot in the World Test Championship (WTC) final without hoping for Sri Lanka to win either of their two Test matches against New Zealand. However, as soon as Australia batted for 167.2 overs on a flat batting-friendly track in the first innings, a probable draw looked unavoidable.

Fortunately, New Zealand defeated Sri Lanka in a last-ball thriller in the first Test in Christchurch on the same day to pave India's way to their second consecutive WTC final where they will meet Australia at the Oval in London from June 7.

Unlike the first three Test where spinners dominated on rank turners, the fourth Test saw batters rule the roost. Usman Khawaja, Cameron Green, Shubman Gill and Virat Kohli smashed a hundred each. Kohli, who ended his 1205 days wait for his 28th Test hundred, was adjudged Man of the Match.

Left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja and off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin were jointly given the Player of the Series award. Jadeja scored 135 runs and picked 22 wickets. Ashwin finished as the leading wicket-taker in the series with 25 scalps.