Virat Kohli and India team celebrate Holi ahead of blockbuster Ahmedabad Test

Home team must win fourth Test against Australia to ensure qualification for World Test Championships final

Virat Kohli and Ravindra Jadeja celebrate Holi in Ahmedabad. Photo: @virat.kohli / Instagram

India put preparations for the crucial fourth Test against Australia in Ahmedabad on hold as they celebrated the festival of colours – Holi.

India need to win the final Test of the Border Gavaskar Trophy series, which begins Thursday, to not only clinch the series 3-1 but also ensure qualification for the World Test Championships final in England in June.

The home team were trounced by nine wickets inside three days in Indore as Australia's spinners ruled the roost. Now, they must decide whether to go for another rank turner or play on a truer wicket, with the series and the WTC final on the line.

However, Tuesday was time for some fun as the India team members took part in Holi celebrations. Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and the rest of the squad applied colours to each other on the team bus and at the Narendra Modi Stadium.

The venue is likely to witness history on Thursday with a record attendance expected on one of the first two days of the Test.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese will attend the opening day of the match. According to reports, the game is on track to break the record attendance for a single day of Test cricket of 91,112 – set at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in the 2013-14 Ashes series.