Test 4: Natarajan, Sundar replace Bumrah, Ashwin; Aus 65/2 at lunch

Australia won the toss and made 65 for 2 at lunch after opting to bat on the opening day of the fourth and final Test against a depleted Indian side that is missing both Jasprit Bumrah and Ravichandran Ashwin.

Steven Smith and Marnus Labuschagne were batting on 30 and 19 respectively at the lunch break.

Tamil Nadu rookies — fast bowler T Natarajan and off-spinner Washington Sundar — have been handed debuts with Shardul Thakur playing his second Test match and Mayank Agarwal replacing Hanuma Vihari in the middle-order.

Australia only has one change in Marcus Harris in place of injured Luke Pucovski.

Bumrah being ruled out of the fourth Test was earlier reported on January 12 amid reports that he could play even if he is 50 percent fit. “There was never any chance of him playing but like any top team, they wouldn’t like their opposition to get psychological advantage,” a senior BCCI source privy to development said.

Teams
Australia: David Warner, Marcus Harris, Marnus Labuschagne, Steven Smith, Matthew Wade, Cameron Green, Tim Paine (capt & wk), Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood

India: Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane (capt), Mayank Agarwal, Rishabh Pant (wk), Washington Sundar, Shardul Thakur, Navdeep Saini, Mohammed Siraj, T Natarajan.