World Test Championship final: India's Virat Kohli stands between Australia and title

Australia are connected people to beryllium crowned satellite Test champions but indispensable a find a mode past India's Virat Kohli if they are to triumph the last astatine The Oval.

India earlier slipped to 91-3 aft Cameron Green was controversially adjudged to person caught Shubman Gill and a basal of 51 betwixt Rohit Sharma and Cheteshwar Pujara ended with some falling for the summation of 1 run.

On a glorious evening, with India's passionate fans delighting astatine each summation to the scoreboard, Australia ended needing 7 much wickets, India different 280 runs.

Australia earlier declared their 2nd innings connected 270-8 an hr aft lunch, with wicketkeeper Alex Carey 66 not out.

There is simply a reserve time scheduled for Monday if clip is mislaid to atrocious weather, but the forecast for Sunday suggests determination volition beryllium ample clip to find the 2nd satellite Test champions, aft New Zealand 2 years ago.

If determination is nary clip mislaid and the crippled is drawn connected the 5th day, Australia and India volition stock the title.

• Reaction from time 4 astatine The Oval

Can King Kohli contradict Australia?

Australia person signifier for being connected the incorrect extremity of epic tally chases, some successful this state and against India.

Four years agone they were stunned by Ben Stokes' heroics astatine Headingley and successful 2021 Rishabh Pant inspired India to a celebrated pursuit successful Brisbane that sealed a bid win.

Realistically, India stay immense underdogs, but it is to their recognition that they person kept the contention live going into the last day, particularly aft Australia controlled astir of the archetypal two.

The India enactment that dominates overmuch of The Oval grew successful excitement during the Rohit-Pujara stand, lone for content to beryllium punctured by the strikes of Nathan Lyon and Pat Cummins.

While determination is Kohli, determination is hope, and the erstwhile skipper has the accidental to adhd different section to his storied vocation by starring India to their archetypal satellite rubric successful immoderate format since 2011.

But, surely this task is beyond adjacent the king of Indian cricket, and it volition beryllium Australia who statesman the Ashes bid connected Friday arsenic the satellite Test champions.

Lyon and Cummins onslaught important blows

One of the astir concerning parts of the evening from an Australian constituent of presumption was however a antecedently devilish transportation appeared to person gone to sleep. With small happening, they successfully lobbied to person the shot replaced aft conscionable six overs.

Rohit and Gill had added 41 successful lone 7 overs erstwhile Gill poked astatine Scott Boland and Green swooped to instrumentality the hotly-debated catch.

Undeterred, Rohit continued to propulsion with authority, portion Pujara played with high-elbowed class.

But successful off-spinner Lyon's archetypal over, Rohit missed a expanse and a reappraisal could not reverse the on-field lbw decision. In the adjacent over, Pujara tried to uppercut Cummins and feathered to Carey.

Kohli had faced lone 1 shot connected the accomplishment of Rahane, who did not tract aft being repeatedly struck connected the manus portion making 89 successful the archetypal innings.

With Rahane playing the supporting role, Kohli eased into his trademark mid-wicket clips and, by the end, their concern was worthy 71.

Debate implicit Green grab

Green has a estimation for superb gully catches - helium took a blinder connected Friday - but the contention implicit this latest drawback caused the biggest talking constituent implicit the day.

With lightning reactions, Green extended his near manus down to scoop the shot distant from the turf. Gill stood his crushed and TV umpire Richard Kettleborough was asked to analyse replays.

When Kettleborough adjudged that Green had got fingers nether the ball, the boos of India's fans turned to a chant of "cheat, cheat, cheat". Rohit slapped his pad with his bat arsenic Gill dragged himself off.

It was not the archetypal memorable infinitesimal Green had been progressive successful connected Saturday. He was earlier bowled successful bizarre manner by left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja, trying to footwear the shot away, lone for it to deflect disconnected his gloves connected to the stumps.

That was portion of immoderate dilatory Australia advancement successful the greeting session. From 123-4 overnight, they added 78 earlier lunch, with Marnus Labuschagne edging to archetypal gaffe for 41.

Carey was affirmative aft lunch, adding 93 successful 20 overs with Starc, who made 41. When India took the 2nd caller ball, Starc edged to archetypal gaffe and Cummins sliced to point, some disconnected Mohammed Shami, and Australia declared.