Brisbane: Virender Sehwag likely to miss play against Australia on Sunday

Virender Sehwag is unlikely to play against Australia on Sunday as reports suggested he is yet to recover fully from the back injury, which forced him to sit out of the match against Sri Lanka.

Senior batsman Sehwag is yet to find form in the series. India go in to the match on a high after finding the much needed boost after two victories and a tie against Sri Lanka that followed.

Australia, meanwhile, suddenly looked out of sorts with two losses back-to-back and the poor form of their explosive batsman David Warner is costing them dearly. After a superb performance in the Test series against India, Ricky Ponting has also been struggling in the ODIs. Ponting has only 11 runs from four innings at an average of 2.75 in the present series.

Meanwhile, India’s record in the last two ODIs at the Gabba would motivate the team. They have won their past two one-day internationals against Australia at the Gabba. However, Australia haven`t been beaten in Brisbane since that last loss to India, in March 2008.

Gavaskar critical of Kohli's century celebration

Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar on Thursday disapproved of Virat Kohli swearing at the Australian players after scoring a century in the final Test at Adelaide, terming it as "school kid" temperament.

Kohli had a wild celebration after reaching his century using some choicest of words against the Australian players, which Gavaskar said was unnecessary.

"Not just Virat, some other Indian players also. Instead of smiling after taking a wicket they were snarling. They were taking out something on somebody. If somebody taunted you on the field show it by scoring runs or taking wickets," Gavaskar said.

"Virat and some other youngsters were swearing at the opponents. That is like having a temperament of school kid cricket. They should not do that.

"When a Tendulkar, Dravid or a Laxman score a century they just raise the bat. By swearing or doing something like that brings down the focus," the former captain added.

Gavaskar, however, praised Kohli for the application he showed in his innings of 116 in India's first innings.

"What Virat has shown with his knock was that runs can be scored if you apply yourself. It shows he is a thinking cricketer. He will score lots of runs in future if he continues like that," Gavaskar told.

Gavaskar also applauded wicket-keeper Wriddhiman Saha for his gritty knock of 35 but said it was too early to say that he could replace captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni in Tests.

"His application was very good and (he) took the attack to the Australians. That's important considering that temperament has been a let down among the batsmen and bowlers. He was calm and cool. I think he knew that he wants to make a case for his place in the Test team as a batsman," said Gavaskar.

"When Dhoni comes into the Test team, Saha cannot be selected as a wicket-keeper. Let's not jump the gun and it's too early to say that Saha can replace Dhoni as Test wicket-keeper. Dhoni has done a yeoman service to the country," he added.

Gavaskar also said that India still have a chance to save the Adelaide Test as the pitch was still assisting batsmen.

"There is a very good chance to save the Test. The Indian batsmen can take the lead from Virat and Saha and even Ishant who hung on for a while with Virat. Apply yourself and don't do anything silly.

"Nothing much is happening on the pitch except for odd balls climbing up. I think they will get four-and-a-half or five sessions to bat on and if they bat sensibly they can save the Test," Gavaskar said.

Boxing Day Test Live: Australia crossed the 250-run, partnership between Brad Haddin and Peter Siddle

Australia crossed the 250-run mark as a handy partnership between Brad Haddin and Peter Siddle averted a complete collapse in the final session of play.

Ed Cowan (68) finally caved-in to the pressure mounted by the Indian bowlers, caught behind by MS Dhoni off Ravichandran Ashwin’s spin.

The scorecard read 214/6 at the fall with the Indian outfit dominating for the first time in the day.

Before the collapse, Zaheer Khan had finally struck hard as he clean bowled Michael Clarke (31) with an awesome delivery that was dragged back onto the stumps. He followed it up with another beauty and dismissed Michael Hussey for a duck on the very next delivery.

The spectators were treated to Test cricket of the highest quality as the world’s top teams competed with full fervour, not giving the other any room to breathe. However, it was the Australians with the home advantage that held a slightly upper hand.

Second Session

Umesh Yadav struck gold on being reintroduced into the attack, claiming the all important scalp of Ricky Ponting (62). The third breakthrough from Yadav got the bounce back into the Indian outfit as the scorecard read 170/3 at tea on Day 1.

The second session of play belonged majorly to Australia as Cowan and Ponting kept on piling runs and did not give away their wicket cheaply.

Ponting had looked dangerous as he slammed a solid fifty to steady the innings, his 59th in Test cricket for Australia in the last fifteen years. He was given apt support from opener Ed Cowan who toiled for his runs but kept the wicket intact against a disciplined attack, slamming a fifty of his own.

The post-lunch session had begun a bit late as rain gods kept on bothering the proceedings in a largely filled MCG.

First Session

Rain stopped play as an early lunch was taken at the Melbourne Cricket Ground with the Australian scorecard reading 68/2. The game was delicately poised at the break as the Indian bowlers pegged back towards the later part of the session while the home team averted any collapses.

India had got the first breakthrough as Umesh Yadav claimed David Warner (37) right after a short break that could have resulted in a lapse of concentration on the batsman’s part.

Shaun Marsh was the new man on the crease and he was out for a duck, giving Yadav his second scalp of the Australian summers. Warner gloved a short one into the hands of India skipper MS Dhoni while Marsh was caught by Kohli with the scorecard reading 46/2.

Just before that, covers had come on the turf at the MCG because rain stopped play after 13 overs. The break was however short lived as the drizzle stopped within a few minutes and play resumed.

Openers Ed Cowan and Warner had started the proceedings on a positive note as speedsters Ishant and Zaheer looked for an early breakthrough while there was still some movement in the air.

Zaheer was particularly tight in his line and length as he had a couple of loud appeals and close calls.

An Oz summer had begun with home captain Michael Clarke winning the toss and electing to bowl against India in the Boxing Day Test. There was some good news for the Indian camp as both pacers Zaheer Khan and Ishant Sharma proved their fitness and were drafted for the test Down Under.