India vs Australia 4th Test 2027 Delhi: Preview, XIs, Pitch

The 4th Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2027 takes the series north to Feroz Shah Kotla in Delhi, where the indicative window is February 13-17, 2027. Mid-February in Delhi is, traditionally, the friendliest part of the year for cricket — the smog of November-December has lifted, the chill has gone, and the dry continental air gives the ball a small swing window in the first hour of every morning.

Kotla is a venue with a deep, complicated red-ball history. India have won 11 of the last 14 Tests there. Australia's record is 1 win in 9 visits. The 2023 BGT Test at Kotla (the second Test of that series) ended in a 6-wicket Indian win after a chaotic 87 all-out collapse from Australia in the second innings. The 2027 fixture, depending on where the series stands, will sit on top of all of that.

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Match at a glance

• Match: 4th Test, Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2027
• Dates: February 13-17, 2027 (likely; BCCI confirmation pending)
• Venue: Arun Jaitley Stadium (Feroz Shah Kotla), New Delhi
• Start time: 9:30 AM IST
• Toss: 9:00 AM IST
• Series context: Match 4 of 5; BGT 2027 hub
• WTC 2025-27: 12 points; potentially the series-decider
• Broadcast (India): Star Sports + Disney+ Hotstar

If the series stands at 2-1 either way, this is the de facto decider. If it is already 3-0, Kotla becomes a dead rubber with squad-management agendas — but the legacy stakes (Cummins/Smith/Lyon's last BGT in India) keep it competitive.

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Likely India XI

A potential rotation Test, depending on series state:

1. Yashasvi Jaiswal
2. Shubman Gill
3. Sai Sudharsan
4. Virat Kohli
5. Rishabh Pant (wk)
6. Sarfaraz Khan (or Dhruv Jurel if rotation)
7. Ravindra Jadeja
8. Washington Sundar
9. Kuldeep Yadav
10. Jasprit Bumrah
11. Akash Deep

If India have already won the series, expect Kuldeep to be rested and a debut for Sai Kishore as the second specialist spinner alongside Jadeja. Mohammed Siraj rotates with Akash Deep depending on workload.

Captain: Rohit Sharma, with Gill stepping up as deputy. If Rohit is rested in a 3-0 series, Gill captains.

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Likely Australia XI

Australia's 4th Test selection is heavily dependent on the series state:

1. Usman Khawaja
2. Sam Konstas
3. Marnus Labuschagne
4. Steve Smith
5. Travis Head
6. Cameron Green
7. Alex Carey (wk)
8. Mitchell Starc
9. Pat Cummins (c)
10. Nathan Lyon
11. Matt Kuhnemann or Scott Boland

Behrendorff and Hazlewood are the squad-bench seamers if any rotation kicks in. Cummins is unlikely to be rested in his last BGT in India.

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Pitch outlook

Kotla in February:

• Day 1: True surface, decent bounce, slight grass cover. New-ball pace bowlers get help only for the first 10-12 overs. First-innings 320-360 is par.
• Day 2: Spin grip from the Pavilion End. Reverse swing kicks in for the older ball after over 35.
• Day 3: The pivotal day. Cracks open at the Football Stand End.
• Day 4-5: Big variable bounce, particularly to right-handers from the rough outside off-stump. Fourth-innings 250+ is genuinely difficult.

For complete red-ball detail, see our Delhi Feroz Shah Kotla pitch report for BGT 2027. Note: Kotla does not host IPL T20s in 2026 (replaced by other venues mid-season) — the most relevant T20 reference is older.

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Key match-ups

Nathan Lyon vs Rishabh Pant (Kotla edition)

Lyon's plan at Kotla — bowl from over the wicket into the rough outside Pant's leg-stump — is the highest-leverage Australian wicket-taking option of the series. Pant's response: be positive against the first three balls, defend the fourth, force Lyon to round-the-wicket.

Pat Cummins vs Rohit Sharma (continued)

Cummins' record at Kotla is small-sample but he averaged 25 with the ball there in the 2023 Test. The new-ball duel against Rohit is a potential first-day wicket if Cummins lands the wobble seam.

Mitchell Starc vs Yashasvi Jaiswal (continued)

Kotla is a venue where the morning swing window is small but real. Starc's first over with a left-arm angle into Jaiswal can be the moment the day breaks open.

Marnus Labuschagne vs Ravichandran Ashwin

If Ashwin is included for this Test (rotation likelihood at 50-50), the Labuschagne-Ashwin duel revives the most fascinating series-shaping matchup of the 2023-24 cycle. Ashwin dismissed Labuschagne three times in five innings in 2023.

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WTC 2025-27 implications

After four Tests, the WTC table will be near-final:

• If India lead 4-0 or 3-1: WTC final qualified.
• If 3-1 to Australia: They likely need a result here to lock qualification.
• If 2-2 going in: Rare but possible — both teams in genuine WTC final contention, but neither qualified yet.

The WTC India simulator handles all four scenarios. See also our WTC 2025-27 cycle explainer.

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Sub-plot: Sam Konstas' Indian baptism

Konstas comes into BGT 2027 as a young opener with a 2024 Boxing Day debut behind him and a complicated start to his Test career. India is the most demanding red-ball context in world cricket for openers — relentless spin, low bounce, the constant threat of the inside-out delivery. By the 4th Test, his series record will tell us whether Australia have a long-term opener or whether they continue the Khawaja/Bancroft/Renshaw search of recent cycles.

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Weather projection (3-day window)

Delhi in mid-February:

• Day 1 (Feb 13): 25°C max, 11°C min. Clear, light morning haze that lifts by 10:30 AM.
• Day 2 (Feb 14): Similar. Cool morning, warm afternoon.
• Day 3 (Feb 15): Stable. The smog factor has cleared by mid-February in normal years.

No rain risk. The cool morning is a small new-ball swing window — sometimes the difference between a 30-1 first hour and a 0-0 first hour.

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Prediction

Kotla traditionally favours the team batting first, particularly if they go past 350. India's overall Kotla record (11 wins in 14 Tests) is built on first-innings dominance. Australia's best path is a 380+ first innings on the back of a Smith hundred — anything less and the deteriorating surface plays into Indian hands.

Our pick: India to win. A margin of 80-120 runs, decided by Jadeja's second-innings spell at the Football Stand End.

If Smith plays a 150+ on day one, this is a draw conversation by day five.

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More cluster reading

• Hub: BGT 2027 hub
• Previous Test: 3rd Test Mumbai preview
• Next Test: 5th Test Ahmedabad preview
• Pitch report: Delhi Feroz Shah Kotla red-ball pitch report BGT 2027
• WTC context: WTC 2025-27 cycle explainer, WTC India simulator
• Calendar: Cricket calendar 2026-27

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Frequently Asked Questions

When is the 4th Test in Delhi? Provisionally February 13-17, 2027. BCCI confirmation pending.

Is the Delhi pitch a turner? Yes, but with more pace than Nagpur. Spin assistance kicks in from day two; reverse swing is reliable from over 35 onwards.

What is the smog factor in February? Negligible by mid-February. Delhi's air quality clears progressively from late January onwards. The November-December smog window is long gone by Test time.

How does Steve Smith perform at Kotla? Smith has played one Test here (2023) and made 9 and 27. Small sample; the broader subcontinent average matters more.

Can Australia win this Test? Yes, but only via a first-innings score of 380+ that takes the deteriorating fourth-innings chase out of the equation. Anything less and India's home advantage takes over.

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Kotla in February has decided BGT series before. We will be live across all five days.