Kia Oval Talking Points: Alex Carey back among the runs

The Cricketer looks at the main talking points on day four of the World Test Championship final between Australia and India at the Kia Oval

Movement That Inspires play of the day

Runs have not come easily for Alex Carey in 2023. After scoring 111 against South Africa in the 2022 Boxing Day Test – his maiden, and to date only, Test century – his next six innings yielded scores of 36, 10, 0, 7, 3 and 0. His place in the side coming into an Ashes summer was under scrutiny.

But in the World Test Championship final, he appears to have regained his mojo. A first innings knock of 48 was followed up with an unbeaten 66 on day four, including a stand of 93 with Mitchell Starc for the seventh wicket.

Without his knock, which came at a handy strike rate of 62.85, Australia would have been in trouble. They were 124 for 5 when he walked out to bat and went on to declare on 270 for 8. England will be hoping his performance is a one-off.

^{Cheteshwar Pujara departs [Ryan Pierse/Getty Images]}

Take The Lead, Drive Electric moment of the day

After sharing a brisk second-wicket stand of 51 runs in 77 balls, Rohit Sharma and Cheteshwar Pujara departed in consecutive overs. The former was pinned lbw by Nathan Lyon after missing a sweep, the latter miscued a ramp to the slips off Pat Cummins.

It left India 93 for 3 and Australia perfectly poised to go in for the kill.

But the fatal blow failed to materialise, with Virat Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane building an unbroken 71-run stand for the fourth wicket. Not only did they arrest their side's collapse before it became catastrophic, they also kept India well and truly in the hunt for victory. They require a further 280 runs on day five to win the World Test Championship.

^{Ajinkya Rahane and Virat Kohli have kept India in the hunt for victory [Justin Setterfield/Getty Images]}

England's Ashes notes

Underestimate Australia's tail at your peril.

Starc scored an opportunistic 41 (57) at No.8, struggling at first against the spin and trickery of Ravindra Jadeja before finding his feet against a knackered seam attack.

He was dismissed just shy of celebrating his 11th Test half-century but not before he had issued a timely reminder of the batting talent lurking in Australia's lower order.

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