It was an action-packed day in Brisbane, with Alex Carey helping Australia reach 445 runs with a dashing lower-order knock before the hosts fast bowlers led by Mitchell Starc rattled the tourists with some ferocious deliveries.

But on a day where the grounds staff were especially busy, India reached stumps at 4-51, with opener KL Rahul again defiant when unbeaten on 33, while skipper Rohit Sharma is yet to score from six deliveries. In all, seven wickets fell for 91 runs.

As former England captain Michael Vaughan said, with two days remaining, “only one team can win from here”. But with showers predicted over the next two days, Australia will need to make the most of any time remaining to take a 2-1 lead in the series.

AUSTRALIA’S ‘WEAPONS’ LIVING UP TO SKIPPER’S PREDICTION

As Pat Cummins assessed the challenge ahead against India preceding the opening Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Perth, he identified an area where Australia might have the upper-hand.

The Australian skipper described the dynamic trio of Travis Head at No. 5, Mitch Marsh and No. 6 and Alex Carey at No. 7 as weapons the hosts could rely on to change a Test match.

Travis Head, clearly, has proven a game-changer in both Adelaide and Brisbane and on Monday it was Carey’s turn to shine, with the wicketkeeper delivering with the bat.

The South Australian strode to the crease with Australia at 5-326 and saw the brilliant Head depart for the addition of only one more run, which placed a score of beyond 400 in doubt.

Instead he batted superbly, scoring a rapid 70 from 88 balls in the latter stages of Sunday afternoon and in the opening session of Monday while helping shield the Aussie tail.

With Carey at the crease, the Australians added another 119 runs in just over 30 overs to further their position of dominance in the rain-marred Test, which prompted widespread praise.

Former Australian wicketkeeper Brad Haddin credited the work of Carey, whose place was in question last summer after he lost his spot in the World Cup team to Josh Inglis, who is the reserve batter for this series against India.

Haddin said Carey’s exploits with the bat, particularly when partnering the lower-order, demonstrated his improvement and maturity as a Test cricketer.

“The one thing he has done really well is that he understands his role in the team,” Haddin said.

“He is not there to survive. He is there to change the momentum in the game … and he has learnt how to bat with the tail. That is a skill for a No. 7 and a keeper and Alex Carey is feeling more confident in that role.”

Former Indian captain Ravi Shastri described him as a “dangerous” talent who is particularly strong on the off-side but, most importantly, has “ a good understanding of his game”.

Ex-Australian skipper Allan Border noted that Carey, who is playing his 35th Test match, is showing the benefit of growing experience at international level.

“He is learning all the time as a Test cricketer. He is starting to really expand his game and add shots to his repertoire. It is a very good job that he has done,” Border said.

In his last 15 Test innings dating back to the opening Test against Pakistan 12 months ago, Carey has averaged 34.14, which is three runs higher than his career average.

The 33-year-old, who struck two superb sixes in his innings in Brisbane, has scores of 21 and 36 in Brisbane, 15 in Adelaide and now 70 at the Gabba this summer, with his average 35 for the series.

He also enjoyed a productive period in domestic cricket preceding the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, having used the off-season to adjust his technique to have his bat raised earlier.

Fox Cricket expert Kerry O’Keeffe said that, similarly to the hard work Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne have put in to tinker with their techniques in a bid to find form, it was a credit to Carey that he was determined to continue to improve.

“I think he has added another dimension to his game, Alex Carey, in the last 12 months,” he said.

“He goes to most parts of the ground now and he is as good a slog sweeper (as we have) and we know how good he is with reverse-sweeping. He is a crucial figure in the remaining Tests.

“After his innings in the Sheffield Shield, where he has batted so well, I was looking for a quote from him and after one of his hundreds, Alex Carey said, ‘I’m picking my bat up slightly higher at the release of the ball, (that gives me) more time to play my strokes, and it helps with power and placement.

“And he had a terrific first class start to the season. (He scored) plenty of runs. (It is) another example of somebody tinkering with his technique to try and improve. We’ve seen Labuschagne. We’ve seen Smith. And Alex Carey decided in the break that he would pick the bat up higher allowing him more time to play, and more power.”

EARLY-SEASON SHIELD STARS COMING TO THE FORE AGAINST INDIA

After Australia’s debacle in Perth, there was much discussion as to whether the nation’s stars had played enough domestic red ball cricket amid queries about the preparation.

Given the emphatic response in Adelaide and strong start in Brisbane, it seems likely that aside from a couple of torrid days in Western Australia, the tailored preparation is working.

What is also evident is that good form in the Sheffield Shield has, by and large, also stood the Australians in good stead when it comes to the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

The two leading lights on Monday in Brisbane are demonstrative of this. Carey was outstanding for South Australia prior to a sound start to this summer at No.7.

Mitchell Starc, whose effectiveness with the ball has rivalled that of India’s leading man Jasprit Bumrah, has also benefited from a domestic lead-in to the Test series.

The 35-year-old, who snared Yashasvi Jaiswal with the second ball of India’s innings and then had Shubman Gill brilliantly caught in slips by Mitch Marsh, is in menacing form.

As CricViz expert Ben Jones noted, the Australian has to be in the conversation when it comes to considering the most lethal new ball bowler in history given his outstanding record.

In the first ten overs, the only bowler with more Test wickets and a superior strike is South African great Dale Steyn. And his rhythm this summer has been absolutely superb.

Prior to a Shield match against Victoria at the MCG, Starc said he was feeling fitter and in better condition than he had entered recent summers, which is no surprise following a break.

The left-armed quick snared six wickets in the second innings of that match, an effort which caught the eye of Australian great Adam Gilchrist.

“It looked like in that Sheffield Shield game that he had wonderful rhythm,” Gilchrist said.

“The ball was flying through. The keeper was taking them at chest height. His accuracy was outstanding.”

His former New South Wales and Australian teammate Brad Haddin believes Starc, who has taken 13 wickets at an average of less than 20 in this series, is better than ever.

“I don’t think at any stage in his career I’ve seen Mitchell Starc bowl with more control. He is at the top of his game (and) his pace is still up,” Haddin said.

Rookie opener Nathan McSweeney earned his ‘Baggy Green’ via some strong Sheffield Shield form for South Australia but is yet to fully fire, though his deeds in taking the shine from the ball in Adelaide and Brisbane have been noted by his more senior teammates.

Fox Cricket expert Brendon Julian believes he is worth persevering with at the top of the order.

“To be honest, I would not be changing the team throughout the whole series, to be honest,” Julian said.

“It has been difficult. Perth was difficult. Adelaide was difficult. Early on here at the Gabba it nipped around a bit, and it has been quality bowling from Jasprit Bumrah. It has been difficult for the opening batters and the top three for both (sides) this series.

“If you are winning Test matches, then I think it is fine in terms of selection.”

SHARPENING UP THE SENSES

Speaking of Starc, it is not just with the ball that he has been effective this summer.

The veteran has been handy with the bat as well, starting with a 26 against the tide in the opening innings in Perth and following that with a 12, before scores of 18 in Adelaide and again in Brisbane on Monday.

But it was his desperation in the field on Monday that earned the highest plaudits, with his work to save runs and ensure Virat Kohli had to face his nemesis Josh Hazlewood in the infancy of his innings outstanding.

His teammates were clearly appreciative of his work and made a beeline for the Sydneysider in the immediate aftermath of Kohli’s dismissal.

Starc’s effort followed a sublime start in the field from Mitch Marsh, who executed a regulation catch to snare Jaiswal before an absolute corker in the slips to remove Gill, both from the bowling of the left-armed paceman.

It prompted some exultant commentary from former English captain Michael Vaughan, who described the Western Australian as “the flying Bison” and declared he had never seen a bison move as quickly as Marsh managed when snaring a super catch.

Fellow Fox Cricket expert Kerry O’Keeffe noted the joy of Marsh’s teammates and said those two catches could help the Allan Border Medallist regain confidence given his mixed form with the bat, with Marsh’s only decent contribution a 47 in the second innings in Perth.

What has been evident in both Adelaide and at the Gabba, at least in the infancy of the Indian innings, is the endeavour the Australians have shown in the field after they were criticised for a lack of energy during the third day of the opening Test.

While David Warner noted on Sunday that those issuing the critiques were not aware Josh Hazlewood was carrying an injury, which may have sapped morale, the Aussies have been far sharper since then. In contrast, the Indians have struggled as their fortunes have dipped.

Fox Cricket commentator Harsha Bhogle noted the contrast in energy between the two sides was stark.

“It’s the situation. The (Australians) know that conditions are in their favour. They know they are playing well. They know this is a great opportunity to control the series,” he told foxsports.com.au

“I would like to see that kind of energy from India. I thought occasionally India were just a little flat. You don’t get tired when you’re doing well.”

LITTLE MASTER’S PLOY COULD HELP ‘FRUSTRATED’ KOHLI

During the 2003-04 summer, Indian icon Sachin Tendulkar arrived in Sydney in the midst of a slump.

The ‘Little Master’ had registered scores of 0, 1, 37, 0 and 44 in the Test series against Australia, repeatedly dismissed while attempting his trademark cover drive.

Ahead of the New Year’s Test, Tendulkar made the conscious decision to shelve his cover drive, removing it from his arsenal for the SCG clash.

And despite abandoning one his most lucrative scoring shots, he peeled off an unbeaten 241 in the first innings without playing a single cover drive.

More than two decades later, Tendulkar’s protégé Virat Kohli faces a similar dilemma.

The Indian superstar got his Border-Gavaskar Trophy campaign underway with a century at Perth Stadium last month, an unbeaten knock that helped the tourists secure a thumping victory in the series opener.

Aside from that glorious performance, Kohli has posted scores of only 5, 7, 11 and 3 this summer, with each of the dismissals worryingly similar.

The right-hander is an undisputed modern great, but in the Test arena, he has shown a tendency to reach for wide deliveries on a fifth-stump line.

Fishing outside off stump and edging towards the slips cordon had become a common mode of dismissal for the 36-year-old and it is a trend that has continued in Australia.

All four of Kohli’s dismissals this series have come from deliveries he could have comfortably left alone, including his wicket at the Gabba on Monday.

Facing Australian quick Josh Hazlewood, he fended at a tempter and tickled the Kookaburra through to gloveman Alex Carey to fall for 3.

“He’s a little bit frustrated at the moment,” Gilchrist said on Fox Cricket commentary.

Kohli’s departure left India in trouble at 3-22.

Those who have watched Kohli against Australia will scarcely be surprised by the bowler who snared his wicket, for it was the 11th time Hazlewood has dismissed him across formats. No bowler has achieved the feat more often than the ‘Bendemeer Bullet’.

“Today’s dismissal, that’s normally a delivery he would have left alone if he was in his best possible form,” former Australian captain Allan Border said.

“I’m not sure what’s going on with Virat mentally (and) whether he’s just lost that edge.”

England great Michael Vaughan pondered whether Kohli was too impatient in the infancy of his innings.

“He’s a player who’s going out there (and) almost trying to get on top too soon,” Vaughan said.

“When he plays at his best, particularly in Australia and England when the ball does a little bit more, he just leaves the ball. Most of his dismissals in this series have been balls that he could have left. I don’t think he’s got a jaffa.”

EX-COACH QUESTIONS INDIA’S ‘SURPRISING’ SPIN CALL

India has called upon a different spinner for each of the three Tests – Washington Sundar played in Perth, Ravichandran Ashwin returned in Adelaide, while Ravindra Jadeja rolled the arm over at the Gabba this week.

The trio each offer something different – Sundar has a higher release point, Ashwin’s experienced and crafty, while Jadeja turns the ball away from right-handed batters.

Jadeja’s selection for the Gabba Test was surprising, but not without reason. The tweaker averaged 21.78 with the ball in Australia heading into the series, while he provides an additional batting option in the middle order.

But the 36-year-old proved ineffective in the Queensland capital, finishing with figures of 0-95 from 23 overs in the first innings. They are the worst figures of Jadeja’s decorated career and indicative of his struggle to have an impact.

He often dropped short and strayed down the leg side, with Australia’s left-handed batters regularly clipping him through fine leg for easy runs.

After Mitchell Starc slapped Jadeja over square leg for an early six on Sunday morning, former Indian coach Ravi Shastri questioned why captain Rohit Sharma had started day three with a spinner.

“It is really surprising they have not started with two seamers,” Shastri said on Fox Cricket.

But as pointed out by Australian legend Adam Gilchrist, Sharma may have been wary of India’s over rate, which had slipped behind the required target by five overs.

Despite being allocated an extra hour on Sunday, the tourists still couldn’t manage 90 overs, meaning India could be at risk of being penalised precious World Test Championship points for their slow over rate – and nobody gets through their overs faster than Jadeja.

Four years ago, Australia missed out on the 2021 WTC Final because of their sloppy over rate during the 2020 Boxing Day Test against India at the MCG – and India would be desperate to avoid suffering the same fate.

“Australia lost out in the last 10 days of the series because of the slow over rate,” Shastri continued.

“It allowed New Zealand to get in front of them … and then they went on to win it.”

However, Jadeja unearthed some turn on Monday morning, which wouldn’t have gone unnoticed by rival spinner Nathan Lyon.