Geoff Lemon looks at India captain Rohit Sharma’s call to send Australia in to bat first and what it might mean for the remaining days at the Gabba.
Summary
That should do for a pretty skinny day one OBO.
The Test in a nutshell: India won the toss and chose to bowl in what promised to be helpful conditions. For 13.2 overs the ball didn’t move as much laterally as expected, despite overcast and humid conditions and a pitch with plenty of grass on it. It didn’t help that India bowled too short, as touring sides are prone to do at the Gabba.
Usman Khawaja played a few nice shots for his 19* and Nathan McSweeney looked solid for his 4*.
We’ll be back bright and early tomorrow with play starting at 9:50 local time (10:50 AEDT) with a target of 98 overs to be bowled in the day, although more rain is forecast (albeit not as heavy or persistent as we saw today).
Angus Fontaine is on the tools to begin with, then I’ll see you after lunch. Catch you then.
Close of day 1: Australia 28-0
The umpires have mercifully called time on the waiting game around an hour before the scheduled close of play. Just 13.2 overs were possible on a rain-soaked day in Brisbane.
Action will resume tomorrow and all following days at 9.50am local (10.50am AEDT) with a minimum 98 overs to be bowled.
Early stumps at the Gabba. No more play today. Full refund for the 30,000+ fans in attendance. #AUSvIND
— Scott Bailey (@ScottBaileyAAP) December 14, 2024
Looking ahead to tomorrow, while this recently issued thunderstorm warning doesn’t extend to Brisbane, it comes pretty close, suggesting play on day two may well be disrupted.
⛈️Thunderstorm FORECAST for TOMORROW (Sun 15/12): Thunderstorms are possible across eastern and Far North #Queensland on Sunday. Severe thunderstorms with heavy rainfall are possible #WideBay and #Capricornia. Full forecast details https://t.co/oQJP0oAXFT pic.twitter.com/ew10bOPyWK
— Bureau of Meteorology, Queensland (@BOM_Qld) December 14, 2024
There are just 80 minutes remaining until the scheduled close of play. It’s been raining pretty much non-stop for the past five hours, often torrentially. The radar indicates more rain to come. Someone call play off for the day, please and thank you.
That brief moment of optimism is probably over. It’s raining again at the Gabba and the radar indicates that second band of rain coming from the south east is making its presence felt. I’d expect play will be cancelled for the day sooner rather than later.
AAP are more optimistic…
The rain has stopped and the Gabba has drained remarkably well, even by its standards.
— Scott Bailey (@ScottBaileyAAP) December 14, 2024
About a 40% chance of rain for rest of the day.
Might well get some more cricket yet. #AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/1aAtSh2NcW
TEA: Australia 28-0
Tea has officially been taken. The umpires will soon make an inspection of the sodden Gabba, but a second band of rain from the south east is stalking Brisbane.
Tea has been taken here at The Gabba.
— BCCI (@BCCI) December 14, 2024
And the waiting game continues.
The umpires will undertake an inspection shortly. #AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/JW3ZVTsG28
Southee perishes for 23 off 10 deliveries. He should have one more knock to complete a century of sixes.
Meanwhile in New Zealand, Tim Southee is batting in his final Test. He walked out with 95 centuries under his belt, and has swiftly moved to 98. Tremendous entertainment late in the day in Hamilton
Earlier on Martin introduced the concept of an Australia/India combined XI, and Stefan is the latest to email in his contribution, and yet another to mystifyingly exclude Nathan Lyon; surely the best spin bowler in the world in Australian conditions, and a man that’s proved himself time and again is more than a luxury even in conditions that preference pace bowling.
“Following on from the previous convo, surprised everyone’s backing Jadeja when India couldn’t even find room for him earlier. As much as he’s done spectacular things in the past, he’s pretty long in the tooth now. If we’re talking all-rounders, I’m much more inclined to Reddy, he’s looked the goods so far this series. I’d say my XI would be:
Jaiswal, Rahul, Gill, Kohli, Head, Marsh, Pant (wk), Reddy, Cummins (c), Bumrah, Hazlewood.
Tempted to slip Starc in there as well for an all-time pace attack, but three quicks and two all-rounders ought to cover it. No need for spinners if you’re not gonna bowl them, and the way these tests have looked they’ve never had a chance. Besides Starc, Carey is the harshest exclusion, but competing with Pant’s a tough ask.”
We’re now in the window of the conventional Tea interval (3-3.20pm local time / 4-4.20pm AEDT) so at best we’re down to a single session of play.
There remains a slim chance of action later this evening with rain almost coming to a halt at the Gabba, but the covers remain over the square for the time being and a major dry-up operation will be required to satisfy the umpires the outfield and run-ups are safe. Then there’s the light to take into consideration because it’s still gloomy despite the rain relenting.
And even if all of those dominoes fall the way you would hope, the window for play is likely only to be brief, with more rain coming in from the south east.
There’s cricket happening across the Tasman where New Zealand are hosting England in the final Test of their series. And after a strong opening stand in Hamilton the hosts are capitulating. They’ve collapsed from 105-0 to 231-7. England are hunting a series whitewash.
Updated
The weather front that has interrupted play is very slow moving. It has hung over the Brisbane region all afternoon, inching it’s way inland to the north west, dumping its load along the way.
The Gabba has moved from being at the thundery, westerly edge of the band of rain, to more to the drizzly east (which is theoretically positive) but the rain is still falling, there is more on the way, and the clean up will take some time.
There will be no play any time soon, and perhaps no more before the close at this rate.
Thank you very much Martin, and hello everybody, I hope you’re all in the mood for some radar watching, because I can’t see any play before Tea, and perhaps not for some time afterwards.
This of course means there are plenty of column inches to fill if you have something you want to communicate. Emails to jonathan.howcroft.casual@guardian.co.uk please.
Thanks for following along even as rain interrupted play. It was an engaging opening period after Rohit Sharma sent Australia in then the hosts took command across 5.3 overs until the first delay. The India bowlers were better after the break and brought the run-rate almost to a halt across another 7.5 overs until the storm set in. The radars and forecast suggest we should get some more play this afternoon – fingers … are … crossed! Here is Jonathan Howcroft.
Updated
I’m about to hand the reins to Jonathan Howcroft so will drop my combined XI now. The task was easier set than done, so I’ve narrowed my focus to 2024 form rather than hard-earned reputations. The toughest call was going with the all-rounder talents of Jadeja over the spin-and-nightwatchman record of Lyon.
Yashasvi Jaiswal, Usman Khawaja, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Travis Head, Rishabh Pant (wk), Mitch Marsh, Ravindra Jadeja, Pat Cummins (capt), Jasprit Bumrah, Josh Hazlewood.
FrayFray has thrown up another combined XI contender, which they add “shows Australia relying on the individual brilliance of too few at the moment”. Thoughts on this XI filled with firepower?
Jaiswal, Rahul, Gill, Kohli (just), Head, Marsh, Pant, Jadeja, Starc, Cummins, Bumrah.
The rain is persisting at the Gabba and we’re now eating into the day one action but there is more than enough time to get a result. While the Border-Gavaskar Trophy is surely the priority for both teams at this stage, the World Test Championship also looms large with Australia and India battling for a spot in the final now most likely against South Africa.
India are the most at risk of paying a price if rain ruins this contest with the two-time WTC runner-up needing to win all three remaining Tests against Australia to guarantee qualification to another final. If Australia regain the Border-Gavaskar trophy for the first time since 2014-15, they would almost certainly return to the final after beating India in the 2023 decider. Australia could still qualify for the final if the series against India is drawn 2-2, with two Tests in Sri Lanka to play early next year. Much still to play out, but we have time to ponder the permutations and calculations at the moment.
Updated
Combined XI watch: tullyeh is among the first readers to have a shot at the combined XI from the two teams lining up at the Gabba for the third Test. Hard to argue with most of this – and particularly the reason for backing Pant and Head – though a change that immediately comes to mind for me is bringing in Hazlewood for Starc.
“Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Gill, Smith, Head, Marsh, Pant, Jadeja, Cummins, Starc, Bumrah.
Smith is in on reputation only and I hate to leave Carey out. I’m a South Aussie & watched him dominate Shield this season but Pant & Head, you only need one to fire and it’s game won.”
The Border-Gavaskar Trophy is now firmly among the major events on the cricket calendar, or more broadly on what is known in industry circles as the “Future Tours Program”. But it remains hard to compare to the Ashes which will be returning to Australian shores next year.
To whet the appetite a little, in an extract from his new book, Stephen Brenkley explains the fervour and political intrigue stirred by Australia’s tour of Britain in 1926.
Going out on a limb here but think we have time to put together a combined XI from the two lineups currently sitting in the stands at the Gabba. Send your team through on email or @martinpegan on Bluesky or X – this is who we’re choosing from:
Australia: Nathan McSweeney, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Travis Head, Mitch Marsh, Alex Carey (wk), Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins (capt), Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood.
India: Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant (wk), Rohit Sharma (capt), Ravindra Jadeja, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Akash Deep.
We haven’t lost too much time yet, and these two sides have not needed anything approaching the full five days to secure a result across the opening two Tests in the series, but no one likes a rain delay.
Jack’s defunct follicle is on Bluesky and thinking outside the square.
“Surely cricket can benefit from organisers checking AccuWeather on their smartphones and changing venues? Its got a fairly decent advance weather prediction model.”
A bright idea, and I am a fan of AccuWeather, but I suspect there could be a few logistical challenges with shifting venues at short-ish notice.
Lunch: Australia 28-0
Lunch has been called at 12.20pm local time in Brisbane/1.20pm AEDT with a bit of rain still hanging around. A reminder that India won the toss and elected to field with signs of life in the pitch and clouds overhead, while Australia’s openers were largely untroubled to end the rain-interrupted first session on 28-0 from 13.2 overs.
Updated
The rain is bucketing down now and puddles are forming around the Gabba. The surface water does tend to clear quickly at the venue but we seem to be some way off a return.
It is probably a good time to take lunch, both for the players in Brisbane and those watching on elsewhere. Or, alternatively, tune in to how New Zealand and England are faring across the ditch.
Updated
It has been a solid start for Australia with both openers still in place after 13.2 overs. The runs were starting to flow, particularly off Khawaja’s bat, before the first rain delay allowed the India bowlers to reconsider their plans.
philby17 is concerned that Australia’s commentators in general are giving up a bit too much inside info; “your thoughts on Aust TV providing info re how best to bowl on Aust pitches and how to get out individual Aussie batsmen? A boon for the Indian team? By contrast, I never hear Indian commentators speak of how one should bowl on Indian pitches.”
A fair point though I perhaps naively would expect the India coaches and analysts to be across the conditions and their opponents as much as former players and pundits.
Updated
14th over: Australia 28-0 (Khawaja 19, McSweeney 4) A pair of dot balls from Akash Deep before the umpires give in the drizzle as it turns heavier. The covers are back on!
13th over: Australia 28-0 (Khawaja 19, McSweeney 4) Siraj is back and so are the jeers from the Gabba crowd. A better over from the India pacer who disappointed in his short opening spell. A maiden to Khawaja but the greater concern is the skies darkening.
12th over: Australia 28-0 (Khawaja 19, McSweeney 4) Australia have their highest opening stand of the series so far with Khawaja and McSweeney looking relatively comfortable. Akash Deep keeps working away at McSweeney from a good length and finds the pads with the last two balls of the over. A half-hearted appeal from the latter is waved away.
Updated
11th over: Australia 28-0 (Khawaja 19, McSweeney 4) Bumrah sends down his sixth over helped by a rain delay half way through the spell. More runs for Khawaja on the leg side, this time a single to square leg. McSweeney finds his first runs off the bat against Bumrah today when caressing the ball to fine leg. India are drifting onto the pads too often.
10th over: Australia 26-0 (Khawaja 18, McSweeney 3) McSweeney with the tightest of tight leaves as the first ball of the over angles in to fly just over the off stump. The opener dabs off his hip for a single on the leg side, as Khawaja works one off his pads for the same.
9th over: Australia 24-0 (Khawaja 17, McSweeney 2) Bumrah and Khawaja continue their gripping battle. The Australian opener is comfortable leaving anything he isn’t forced to play at but looks to drive the fifth delivery through cover. Not enough behind the shot and it is cut off. Khawaja dabs at a wider ball to end the over but soft hands ensure the thick edge doesn’t carry KL Rahul at first slip. Another maiden as the runs have dried up.
Updated
8th over: Australia 24-0 (Khawaja 17, McSweeney 2) Akash Deep comes into the attack in place of Siraj who barely threatened through his three overs. The pacer immediately pitches the ball up and finds some movement to force McSweeney to play outside his off-stump. The right-hander has a swing later in the over at a delivery that is back of a length and is fortunate that the ball moved as much as it did. Maiden over.
Updated
7th over: Australia 24-0 (Khawaja 17, McSweeney 2) Bumrah bowls to McSweeney for the first time today after dismissing Australia’s newest opener three times in the first two Tests. McSweeney is immediately back off strike after Bumrah drifts across the right-hander and the ball clips the pads for a leg bye. Khawaja if left jumping around the crease but sees out the rest of the over.
6th over: Australia 23-0 (Khawaja 17, McSweeney 2) Siraj sends down the second half of his third over before we were rudely interrupted by rain. A leg slip is in place for Khawaja as Siraj finds a bit of movement back into the left-hander. Even after the break, Khawaja picks up another ball short of a length and pulls over square leg for four.
Good news! Play will resume at 11.15am local time/12.15pm AEDT. The India bowlers have already been in the outfield rolling the arm over in preparation.
The lunch break has been pushed back to 12.50pm local time/13.50pm AEDT.
We have movement in the middle of the Gabba and the covers are slowly being pulled away. Play is set to resume shortly but in the meantime let us know what you’ve made of India’s call to bowl first, Jasprit Bumrah’s current condition and how Australia handled the first half hour? HMU on email or @martinpegan on Bluesky or X.
A timely email from Tim Thomas has quickly turned to the bright side of this rain delay.
“Bit of a humid wet weekend ahead in Brisbane, might help the match go the distance, but I’m not sure what team that would favour. Groundspeople will have their work cut out for them for sure. Keen for a more traditional battle!”
6th over: Australia 19-0 (Khawaja 13, McSweeney 2) The covers are on! Siraj gets through three deliveries to McSweeney, and the right-hander bunts a defensive shot to mid-on for a quick single. Khawaja is slow off the mark to momentarily put Australian hearts in mouths but is across the line by the time the throw comes in. India might not mind the opportunity to regroup, as the first half hour has favoured the Australia openers.
Updated
5th over: Australia 18-0 (Khawaja 13, McSweeney 1) Bumrah to Khawaja yet again as the left-hander has faced all of the India strike bowler’s deliveries so far. The left-hander has been quite comfortable with Bumrah perhaps lacking a bit of zip. Khawaja is working the ball nicely off his pads, as he tends to do, and glances about as fine as you can for four.
We have a couple of early comments as excitement builds around a series that has so far lived up to the sky-high expectations.
borisfeigin has been in touch on Bluesky to say, “Once again we observe the power of Test cricket. People will remember what happened last time and probably what happens in this game for a long time, possibly decades. Meanwhile, can anyone recall without Google what happened in last year’s BBL final?
“Visiting captains and deciding to bowl at the Gabba. Usually a brave (in a Sir Humphrey sense) call but the pitch does look quite lush.”
The BBL season is kicking off this weekend and is always an enjoyable part of the Australian summer, but I catch your drift borisfeigin.
4th over: Australia 14-0 (Khawaja 9, McSweeney 1) McSweeney nudges off his pads for a quick single from the first delivery as Australia rotate the strike for the first time. Khawaja picks up a couple at fine leg as Siraj drifts onto his pads, then the left-hander punishes a shorter ball with a sublime pull shot for four through midwicket. It has been a positive start for Australia and India ask for the ball to be checked – it passes through the rings without any issue.
Usman Khawaja puts away his first boundary of the day with this cracking shot off Siraj 👌#AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/xHJlbrFF8o
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) December 14, 2024
Updated
3rd over: Australia 6-0 (Khawaja 2, McSweeney 0) Bumrah continues around the wicket to Khawaja and beats the bat with a delivery that drifts away late from the left-hander. That’s the first time Bumrah has been able to extract a bit of zing as he looks a little below top pace. Khawaja plays off his pads to pick up a couple of runs through midwicket, the first off the bat this morning.
Updated
2nd over: Australia 4-0 (Khawaja 0, McSweeney 0) Siraj to McSweeney and the India quick is straight into working away at a good length outside off. Not much movement for Siraj and the third-gamer is untroubled. Maiden over.
1st over: Australia 4-0 (Khawaja 0, McSweeney 0) Bumrah has Khawaja all cramped up from the second delivery with plenty of movement taking the ball across the left-hander. But the delivery misses the edge and canons into Khawaja’s thigh. Four runs come off the thigh pad from the next delivery as Khawaja looks to play to fine leg.
The national anthems are complete, Jasprit Bumrah has the cherry in hand, Usman Khawaja is taking two centres and we’re ready to play.
India XI
India: Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant (wk), Rohit Sharma (capt), Ravindra Jadeja, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Akash Deep.
A couple of changes for the tourists with their third spinner selected in as many Tests, this time Jadeja selected in place of Ashwin. Akash Deep is also recalled.
Australia XI
Australia: Nathan McSweeney, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Travis Head, Mitch Marsh, Alex Carey (wk), Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins (capt), Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood.
As revealed yesterday, Hazlewood has proven his fitness after sitting out the second Test due to a side strain. Scott Boland is left out in the only change to the side that won by 10 wickets at the Adelaide Oval.
Pat Cummins plays his cards up against his chest when asked what he would have done if Australia won the toss. That says as much as anything, but here is more from the Australia skipper.
It has been a fantastic series so far. I think we have a sell-out at the Gabba today. I am sure it is going to be lively out there.
Just about everyone got themselves into the series and ... now here at the Gabba, a place we like playing at. It’s been a good lead-in.
India win the toss and elect to field
Rohit Sharma calls “heads” correctly and chooses to bowl first.
A little bit overcast. Bit of grass and looks soft. We want to try to make the best use of the conditions and see what we can do with the ball up-front.
As the game goss on it will get better and better to bat. But we want to try and make the best use of the conditions up-front.
There is a nice green tinge on top of the pitch which is one of few remaining natural decks, rather than drop-in wickets, across international cricket. There is a bit of cloud hovering overhead and a slight chance of showers amid a forecast high of 29.
The captains are in the middle for the toss.
Here's today's forecast around Australia.
— Bureau of Meteorology, Australia (@BOM_au) December 13, 2024
For the latest forecasts and warnings, visit our website https://t.co/jlOoTZL1iF or the BOM Weather app. pic.twitter.com/rpwZKlCdTp
Updated
Travis Head is one Australian batter who has underwhelmed at the Gabba in recent times, with a pair of golden ducks in the Test against West Indies earlier this. That followed a 92 and another first-ball duck when Australia faced South Africa in late 2022, meaning the right-hander has been dismissed with his past four balls faced in Brisbane Tests.
But the middle-order powerhouse carries strong form into this third Test after making 140 against India in his hometown Adelaide last week. Head and India pacer Mohammed Siraj had some choice words with each other as the rivalry and tension around a tight series begin to bubble away. The ICC were not impressed.
Australia was undefeated at the Gabba across 31 Tests between 1989 and 2021 when India upset the hosts with a three-wicket victory to hold onto the Border-Gavaskar Trophy with a 2-1 series win. Geoff Lemon has looked at how the Gabba has changed over time, and the recent shifts that could help Australia rebuild their domination at the venue.
Preamble
Hello and welcome to live coverage of the first day of the third Test between Australia and India. The scene is set for a thriller after a couple of thrashings went either way as the tourists took an early lead in the series in Perth then Australia bounced back in Adelaide.
Both sides have a history of success in Brisbane, where the third Test will be played at the Gabba. Australia did not lose at their home fortress for more than 30 years until stunned by an injury-plagued India the last time they met here. A loss to West Indies earlier this year was even more of a shock.
Josh Hazlewood will be a welcome addition to the Australia XI at a venue where his natural bounce can turn into a weapon. Scott Boland is the unfortunate pace bowler to make way, as he has so many times before, despite taking five wickets in the win at the Adelaide Oval. While Australia will have their full array of quicks, their batting remains the concern and all eyes will be on Steve Smith as the No 4 has his latest shot at breaking out of a form slump.
India are in a similar position with their attack centred around the at-times unplayable Jasprit Bumrah. The 31-year-old is under an injury cloud after suffering groin soreness in Adelaide but is expect to be named in Brisbane. The tourists’ batting lineup has been feast or famine with captain Rohit Sharma standing out as the player most in need of runs, perhaps from his more familiar role at the top of the order.
First ball will be at 10:20am local time or 11:20pm AEDT. I’ll be seeing us through the first session and a half, when Jonathan Howcroft will take the reins. The toss and confirmation of the teams are coming shortly. Get in touch with any comments, questions, thoughts and predictions – shoot me an email or find me @martinpegan on Bluesky or X. Let’s get into it!
