WATCH: Wicketkeeper KS Bharat drops sitter of Travis Head on Day 1 of 4th Test

KS Bharat (Image credit: Twitter)

India managed to take two wickets in the first session on Day 1 of the fourth Test, but it was not a perfect start for the hosts as Australia put on a 61-run stand for the first wicket. Travis Head (32 off 44) and Usman Khawaja (64* off 178) had the highest opening partnership of the series as Australia scored 54 runs in the first 14 overs. India fought back with the wickets of Head and Marnus Labuschagne (3) but could not stop the visitors' momentum as they reached a comfortable total of 147-2 after 61 overs.

India had a chance to send Head back on 7 runs, but wicketkeeper KS Bharat dropped a sitter catch off Umesh Yadav behind the stumps in the 6th over. The ball was seaming away from Head, he nicked it and went through Bharat, who made a complete mess of it. The keeper-batter misread the ball and closed his hands early. Missing an easy straight-forward catch did not please captain Rohit Sharma and cricket fans, with commentators expressing shock on air.

Watch the video here: 

KS bharat drop here. You can see he takes a step to the legside. (Second photo) So already he is unbalanced, and then he doesn't quiet get to the ball, he reaches out (last photo) very tough to take a opposite step then come back in. Technical error #INDvsAUSTest #INDvAUS pic.twitter.com/7pwSdIPUKu

— lucas (@LucasR32sky) March 9, 2023

However, Bharat will be relieved when Ravichandran Ashwin sent Head back to the pavilion for 32 runs soon after the drink break. The Aussie opener tried to take on Ashwin but he did not get the elevation right and Ravindra Jadeja took a safe catch to end a threatening partnership for India.

Australia dominates Day 1

India managed to take two wickets before lunch on Day 1, but the visitors are in the driving seat in the second session as Khawaja and captain Steve Smith played a disciplined innings. After Head's dismissal, India got another huge wicket of Labuschagne, bowled by Mohammed Shami. The left-handed opener is going well with smashing his 22nd Test half century and 3rd of the series, while Smith (37* off 125) also looks set to score big in the first innings.

India made one change in their playing 11 - Shami, who was rested in the last match in Indore, replaced Mohammed Siraj. Meanwhile, Australia, who won the toss and elected to bat first, retained the same team for the final Test. A win is a must for India to secure a place in the World Test Championship final and clinch the 2023 BGT series. If Rohit and Co lose the Ahmedabad Test, they will have to rely on the result of the series between Sri Lanka and New Zealand.