INDIA FIELDERRS!
Labuschagne dropped twice en route to ton; Natarajan impresses on debut
BRISBANE: Marnus Labuschagne’s century put Australia on top after day one of the decisive fourth Test in Brisbane, as dropped catches cost depleted India.
Australia was 17-2 but Labuschagne’s 108 from 204 balls - his fifth Test ton saw it recover to close 274-5.
Labuschagne was dropped twice, on 37 and 48, as India’s fielders let down an inexperienced bowling attack.
Shardul Thakur also put down a sharp caught and bowled chance off Cameron Green late in the evening session.
Green ended the day 28 not out as he and captain Tim Paine, who was unbeaten on 38, capitalised on weary bowlers with an unbroken stand of 61.
India has been decimated by injuries throughout the series and had to make four further changes for this Test, with star bowlers Jasprit Bumrah and Ravichandran Ashwin the latest to be ruled out.
Seamer T Natarajan and spinner Washington Sundar were both given debuts and Natarajan claimed two wickets, including having Labuschagne caught off a top edge.
Navdeep Saini left the field in his eighth over because of a groin injury and the seamer did not return.
As a result of its injury crisis, India has now used 20 players across the four Tests in Australia - the most by a team in a series away from home.
Its bowling attack, none of whom featured in the series opener, has played four previous Tests combined.
Despite its inexperience, they bowled well before tiring in the Brisbane heat. It was India’s catching that let it down.
Captain Ajinkya Rahane spilled a routine chance when Labuschagne edged to him at gully. Had that catch been taken Australia would have been 93-4. Cheteshwar Pujara soon put down a more difficult low chance, at slip off Natarajan, and Labuschagne went on to punish the mistakes.
He put on 113 with Matthew Wade, who made 45 before also falling to a top edge off Natarajan.
BRIEF SCORES: Australia 274/5 in 87 overs (M Labuschagne 108, M Wade 45, T Natarajan 2/63) vs India