'Khawaja you beauty' - Usman Khawaja's ton put Australia in driver's seat on Day 1 of 4th Test

Usman Khawaja (Image credit: Twitter)

Day 1 of the third Test belonged to Usman Khawaja and Australia as the left-handed batter registered his maiden Test ton against India. A stunning batting performance from the opening batter along with handy contributions from skipper Steve Smith (38 off 135) and Cameron Green saw the visitors rule the Narendra Modi Stadium. The visitors ended the day with 255-4 on the board and will resume Day 2 with Khawaja (104* off 251) and Green (49* off 64), who is nearing his half-century.

The left-hander has been doing well for his team since his return, scoring 496 runs in Three Tests in Pakistan in 2022. Averaging 45.67 in Two Tests against Sri Lanka last year and is now the leading run-scorer for Australia in India in 2023. The 36-year-old scored 81 runs in the second Test and now became the first Aussie player to register a triple-digit mark in the ongoing BGT series.

Appreciation from captain Rohit Sharma for Usman Khawaja! pic.twitter.com/E62DTarCgL

— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) March 9, 2023

Hard work awaits India on Day 2

Australian captain Steve Smith won the toss and elected to bat first. Travis Head and Khawaja put on a 61-run partnership for the first wicket to get the visitors off to a good start. India wicketkeeper KS Bharat dropped a sitter of Head in the sixth over when the latter was batting on seven. However, Ravichandran Ashwin sent the opening batter, Head back to the pavilion for 32 runs.

Mohammed Shami gave India another breakthrough by dismissing Marnus Labuschagne for three runs. But then Smith and Khawaja put on a 70-plus run partnership and made sure they are still in the contest. After the captain's dismissal, the all-rounder Green joined Khawaja and ended Day One with a commendable score on the board.

India brought back Shami to the playing 11 and proved to be good for the hosts as he picked two wickets for Labuschagne and Peter Handscomb. But for the most part in the opening spell, the pacers looked very rusty as both Shami and Umesh Yadav were not up to the mark. The home team will have to work hard on the second day to stay alive in the competition.

Here's how fans reacted to Khawaja's century:

He is indeed the best batter of this series from both sides.

— Khurram shahzad Khan (@KhanzAdaKhurra1) March 9, 2023

Congratulations Khawaja on your first test 💯 against India 👌

— Mrinango C.Borty (VK fan) (@ViratKo66279185) March 9, 2023

No rank turner no party for captain and bowlers 😂😂

— NRS (@walter_white_08) March 9, 2023

Khawaja you beauty

— 👑veshto (@kingveshto) March 9, 2023

Surpassed last 4 years Kohli in One day 🔥

— Sandesh. (@Sandesh_2545) March 9, 2023

Greatest test opener currently in the world, agree or cry👍

— Bakri Player (@cric_nerd2) March 9, 2023

Best visiting Batsman I've seen on Indian Soil in last 10 years apart from Fab4 and cook

— Afsha (@AfshaCricket) March 9, 2023

Greatest opener of this generation

— VISH (@ViratTilldeath) March 9, 2023