Key events
Here’s our report of a frustrating, stop-start day at the Gabba. Geoff has also written a brilliant piece on Virat Kohli which will be up on the site soon.
That’s all for today’s blog. Martin Pegan and Angus Fontaine are on duty tomorrow, hopefully reporting on actual cricket rather than the weather. Thanks for your company today, goodnight.
Only 33.1 overs were possible on day three, though that was time enough for Australia to take total control of the game. The three quicks bowled beautifully with the new ball to reduce India to 51 for 4 at the close, and Australia’s victory chances depend on the Brisbane weather on the last two days.
If the forecast is accurate they face a race against time to first make India follow on and then bowl them out a second time. At least they’ve given themselves a chance; and if they do pull it off, it’ll be one for the books.
Yep, that’s officially it for the day. The problem now seems to be light rather than rain, even with the potential to bowl spin from both ends.
The scheduled close of play is 6.20pm so there might still be time for another mini-mini-session. The umpires are out in the middle without umbrellas.
And they’re off. More rain, more covers, more frustration. That’s almost certainly it for the day.
17th over: Australia 51-4 (Rahul 33, Rohit 0) Travis Head also starts round the wicket to Rahul, who is hit high on the thigh by a delivery that turns and bounces really sharply. The TV commentators – Allan Border, Brendon Julian and Michael Vaughan – can’t believe there are only two men round the bat for Head, a slip and short leg.
16th over: Australia 50-4 (Rahul 32, Rohit 0) Lyon starts around the wicket to Rahul with a slip, leg slip and short leg. I’d be tempted to have a leg gully as well. There’s a run-out chance of sorts when Rahul takes a quick single into the leg side. Rohit dithered and would have been in serious trouble had the ball not bounced past the sliding Cummins.
Nathan Lyon is coming on to bowl, so either the light has deteriorated in the next two minutes or Starc was only allowed to complete the over because he started it before the rain break. That wouldn’t be right, surely?
15th over: Australia 49-4 (Rahul 31, Rohit 0) The light must be okay for the quicks because Mitchell Starc is going to complete the over he started before the rain break. There’s a half shout for a catch down the leg side when Rohit pushes at a ball on the hip, but replays show it missed everything.
And there are 13.5 overs remaining. This is a crucial little spell; if Australia can pick up a wicket or two they’ll have had a great day despite all those rain breaks.
It looks like the umpires have told Pat Cummins he can only bowl his spinners because of the light. Not ideal but it beats being in the changing room, and the match situation means Australia can have a heap of fielders round the bat.
An inspection is taking place right now. The umpires don’t look entirely happy, possibly because of the light. Australia’s players are all on the outfield, ready to go. KL Rahul and Rohit Sharma are nowhere to be seen.
The covers are coming off! If there’s no more rain, Australia should get an hour or so with the ball tonight. Big word, if.
Australia, who resumed on 405 for 7, were eventually dismissed for 445. Alex Carey cracked an enterprising 70; Jasprit Bumrah finished with figures of 6 for 76.
Mitchell Starc struck in each of his first two overs, with Mitchell Marsh catching Yashashi Jaiswal (for a two-ball four) and Shubman Gill for 1. The second catch was a blinder in the gully.
Josh Hazlewood made short work of Virat Kohli, who was caught behind for 3, and Rishabh Pant edged Pat Cummins behind for 9.
The only player to reach double figures was KL Rahul, who gave a live masterclass in how to bat on Australian pitches. He’ll resume on 30 not out either tonight or tomorrow morning.
“I live near the Gabba,” says John Burrell. “It’s pouring now. Play will be abandoned for the day as it was for Saturday when I went to the ground. A wet walk home. You seem to have been up all night doing the NZ v Eng blog too. Go get your beauty sleep.”
I’m sorry to say that ship sailed about 15 years ago. It feels likely that play will be abandoned for the day in the next half an hour or so. But with the drainage these days…
“I know bring captain isn’t supposed to be fun,” begins Ivor Shapiro, “but is this the worst of times to be a Test captain? Cummins, I presume, is doing calculations about how much India needs to score for him to want to bat again at all, and with what unknowable target. Rohit, I presume, must put distracting thoughts of victory out of mind and keep his mates focused on staying safe, ball after ball after ball, for most of the next three days.”
You could argue it’s a free hit for Cummins. The weather forecast makes it essentially impossible for Australia to lose this game and runs are unlikely to be a factor with India so far behind. That means his only focus is finding a way to take 16 wickets. It’s pretty unlikely, assuming the forecast is correct, but that might make Australia more relaxed in the field.
Still raining. In theory play can continue for another two hours or so, but, well, that’s in theory.
It’s hard to see how Australia can force victory in this game unless the forecast for the last two days improves significantly. We’ve had 30.2 overs of play so far today. Using that as a rough guide, they would need to take the last 16 wickets in 60.4 overs.
Play will not resume at 3.45pm. The covers are back on and there’s nothing else to say.
Play will resume at 3.45pm, unless it rains again.
The rain has started to ease so the players could get back on after tea. It might not be for long, though, with more showers forecast in the next couple of hours.
Pat Cummins’ increasing dominance against Rishabh Pant could be an important factor in who wins the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Before this series Pant scored 90 runs off Cummins in Tests without being dismissed. But Cummins has got him in all three Tests at a cost of only 21 runs.
The umpires have brought tea forward, a sensible move in the circumstances. There’s no immediate prospect of a restart but should that change, you’ll hear it here fourth.
“My cricketing experience might be limited to under-10s indoor cricket circa 1996, but this must be the nightmare scenario for India,” says Rowan Sweeney. “Having to continually reset and get their eyes back in has to be challenging for them mentally. The old parlance of not having enough time to make the runs, but having plenty to lose the wickets seems particularly apt.”
Exactly. These stop-start days are horrible for batters, which makes KL Rahul’s performance even better. Honestly, how can that man, that coaching manual on legs, average 34 after playing more than 50 Tests?
“I’ve just read that Kane Williamson is ‘an accomplished barista’,” writes Scott Probst. “Is not Marnus Labushagne also an obsessive accomplished coffee maker when on tour? Who would be the best coffee maker do you think?”
I thought it was Adam Zampa? I suppose an enlightened dressing-room like Australia’s can accommodate more than one barista. Apparently Ian Chappell’s team regularly contained 11 beeristas.
Oh god, did I really type that? It’s been a long night over here in England.
“Been intermittently enjoying the background noise/MBM of this series in between the manic calls of the neighbouring Amazonian parrot (…there it goes again!)” begins Chris Paraskevas. “Wondering if anyone has touched on the absence of Mohammed Shami yet?
“India have been sorely lacking with the bat but I think in key sessions, they could have used his control/skid/subtle movement. I always thought he was a classy operator in the Test arena and a touch underrated. Just read that he’s potentially had a falling out with Rohit?
“PS. The parrot always starts screeching when rain is approaching… they should find one for the groundsmen at the Gabba.”
No idea about a potential falling out but he is still regaining match fitness after a long spell out with injury. I agree with you. I think he’s a sensational bowler, whose only real flaw is to exist in the same era as Jasprit Bumrah. India miss Shami and also Kuldeep Yadav really badly.
14.1 overs: India 48-4 (Rahul 30, Rohit 0) KL Rahul might be alone on the burning deck, but he’s still doing a happy little jig. He moves to 30 with another majestic cover drive for four, this time off Starc.
And that, I’m afraid, is all we’ve got time for. The rain has returned to end an eventful mini-session: seven balls, nine runs, one big wicket.
14th over: India 44-4 (Rahul 26, Rohit 0) Pant was on strike because of more good fielding by Starc, who kept India to one run when Rahul worked Cummins to deep backward square.
Before the wicket Rahul drove beautifully for four and was beaten by a jaffa of such absurdity that Cummins started laughing as he walked back to his mark.
Pat Cummins strikes with the fifth ball after the rain break! Pant pushes defensively at a lovely delivery that moves away just enough to take the edge on its way through to Alex Carey. It might have been the extra bounce that undid him. Either way, India are in serious trouble.
The dance continues. The rain has stopped and the umpires are inspecting as I type. It’s good news: play will resume in just over five minutes with tea to be taken at 3.30pm.
There is play in Hamilton, where New Zealand currently lead England by 531 runs. Kane Williamson has just gone a high-class 156. Doesn’t really need the adjective with him, does it.
After 23 deliveries of actual cricket, the players are forced to leave the field again becuase of the rain. Urgh, this is really frustrating.
13th over: India 39-3 (Rahul 21, Pant 9) Rahul forces Starc stylishly past the infield, though the slowish outfield means he gets three runs rather than a boundary.
12th over: India 34-3 (Rahul 17, Pant 8) A big cheer from the crowd as Cummins comes on to replace Hazlewood. His fourth ball is a beauty to Rahul that lifts and straightens; Rahul again does pretty well to ensure the inevitable edge falls short of the cordon.
In tough situations like this, Rahul looks such a good player. His Test average of 34 is one of the 21st century’s great unsolved mysteries.
11th over: India 32-3 (Rahul 16, Pant 7) Pant reaches well wide of off stump to drive Starc through extra cover for three. It looked like a risky shot – it wasn’t a half volley either – but he has such good hands.
10th over: India 28-3 (Rahul 15, Pant 4) KL Rahul softens his hands to ensure an edge falls well short of the pack of wolves behind the wicket. He feels like the key wicket, even with Rishabh Pant at the crease, because time is as much of a factor as runs. Rahul has already faced 362 balls in this series, second only to Travis Head.
Play is about to resume! Drainage these days, eh?
Josh Hazlewood has five balls of his fifth over remaining.
Thanks Geoff, hello everyone. Showers are forecast throughout the afternoon, so we may have seen the last cricket of the day. With thunderstorms expected on days four and five, Australia may have to settle for the dreaded moral victory.
Even so, they’d have taken this position after being demolished in the first Test at Perth. It’s been a remarkable turnaround, the most impressive by an Australia side on home soil since… goodness knows when. You might even have to go back to 1936-37.
The downsides? It’s still 1-1, which won’t do, and India are unlikely to pick such a flawed XI for the last two Tests. But right now, Maurice Mentum is wearing a baggy green.
Geoff Lemon
Given it’ll be a while before anything happens, we’re going for an early handover. Please enjoy the company of your next precipitation correspondent, Rob Smyth.
And more rain. With violent wind that pulls the pitch cover off and lets the surface get soaked for 30 seconds.
9th over: India 26-3 (Rahul 14, Pant 3) More patience from KL Rahul, who leaves four deliveries of Starc’s over and only plays the ones he must. No run.
8th over: India 26-3 (Rahul 14, Pant 3) First ball after lunch, and Pant creams an on drive for three. Strike rate 300, off strike. Handy. KL Rahul defends Hazlewood with delightfully soft hands along the ground through Head at short leg. Doesn’t get a run there, but does to fine leg.
Alright! We’re back on the field, and partway through a Hazlewood over given the rain fell after a wicket earlier.
Still raining, so it’s lunch, with India in dire strife. If you’re at a loose end, hop to our New Zealand – England live blog. Latest: Ben Stokes is injured again, Kane Williamson is closing on a century, and surely Tim Southee gets to come in to have a bat next given he’s on 98 career sixes and is about to retire.
And now we’re coming off for rain. Rishabh Pant walks to the middle and then is told to go back.
The danger threatened, and the danger strikes. Rahul pulls to fine leg, nearly four, but Starc saves it and keeps them to one. Kohli on strike plays the same bad shot that has got him out so many times in the last couple of years, drawn into a push on the front foot, far too wide to need to play. Why follow that line? But he does, gloves like magnets, and feathers it behind.
7th over: India 21-2 (Rahul 12, Kohli 3) Smart self-preservation from Kohli, off strike again to start the over. But Rahul puts him right back on strike by dropping a run towards point. Kohli plays a crisp drive against Starc to mid off, but no run. So the non-cordon fielders are mid off, mid on, midwicket, fine leg. Bouncer from Starc, Kohli wears it on his top glove with his hands almost above his head. Serious bounce.
Aditya Srinath emails in. “The only thing holding Bumrah back from being in the pantheon of all time greats yet, imho, he’s never taken 10 wickets in a Test match. Sifting through his stats, puts him in the same zip code as Marshall and Garner. I was jawdropped to be reminded that Marshall held a 20 average per wicket over 81 tests. That’s crazy…”
Took 376 wickets in those Tests! Unbelievable record, especially alongside three other hungry quicks.
6th over: India 19-2 (Rahul 11, Kohli 2) Run to fine leg for Kohli, plus an overstep from Hazlewood. Then a sensuous drive from Rahul! Down on one knee to go through cover, bold enough to play it against Hazlewood when the length is right. Tough to have that confidence when the balls a bit shorter are still cutting off the pitch in towards him. Then a less judicious shot to end the over, the length not full enough, Rahul driving on the up, and just getting enough on his shot to lift it over Marsh at gully, who flies again but this time can’t snaffle the chip.
5th over: India 9-2 (Rahul 3, Kohli 1) Swing from Starc, but beautifully driven by Rahul, waits for the inswing before playing a checked drive dead straight past the bowler for two. So watchful. Then the softest hands through the cordon, no carry even though he edges the ball. Doesn’t take a run, not quite enough time.
4th over: India 7-2 (Rahul 1, Kohli 1) Here’s the battle. Kohli Hazlewood. Nearly a return catch lobbed back! Hazlewood not spry enough to race down after getting his first ball off the sticker and up in the air. Five in the cordon, nobody at point or cover, as Hazlewood fishes in the channel outside off stump. Kohli leaves what he can, knocks a couple towards midwicket to the fielder there.
3rd over: India 7-2 (Rahul 1, Kohli 1) If there’s a bad matchup for Kohli in Test cricket, it would be Josh Hazlewood on a lively one in Brisbane. This was the only venue where he didn’t make a century in 2014/15, when he made four in four Tests. That was his only match here until now. He’s got hundreds in Adelaide, Sydney, Melbourne, Perth.
And before he gets to Hazlewood, he has to get through Starc. Almost edges a drive first ball, then gets a fizzing delivery that lifts past the shoulder of the bat. Escapes strike third ball from an inside squeeze.
Marsh has done it again! This time in the gully, and this time it’s a ripper. In this team, he would comfortably be voted The Least Likely to Get Airborne, but he manages to hurl himself to his left and cling on to a sliced drive that is travelling past him at pace. Pumps the fists and circles his arms like a choo-choo train as he runs off with delight.
2nd over: India 6-1 (Rahul 1, Gill 1) Ohhh no. KL Rahul has been hit on the arm, and I think he’s in trouble here, though he’s attempting to play on. Horrible ball to face from Hazlewood, it jumps sharply off a length and cuts inwards substantially. KL is forward to play it off the front foot and has nowhere to go. It hits the wrist of his top hand, missing the glove padding and the arm guard, and on the slow motion replay you can see the arm wobble with the impact. Hard to see how that’s not broken, or at the very least badly bruised. But he’s able to take the impact of playing a subsequent ball, and holds the bat in that top hand after the shot, so perhaps he’ll be ok. Surely the injury will stiffen up later and make batting difficult. He survives the over.
1st over: India 6-1 (Rahul 1, Gill 1) So Shubman Gill will face a ball before the opener KL Rahul. Positive player, aiming to score with a drive first ball, succeeding with a glance second ball. Rahul’s first ball is very wide of off stump. His second, inside edged drive to deep backward. Wow.
Oh! Gone second ball! And what a ball it was first up. Fast and full and swinging, like the one that smashed Jaiswal on the pad in Adelaide, but this time Jaiswal gets an outside edge that flies through the gully for four. Not so lucky second ball, on the pads again, he can’t help playing a flick at it, but there’s a catcher at midwicket waiting. Huge hands of Mitchell Marsh, fingers pointing up, cup the projectile, and India’s tyro this series goes fail, century, fail, middling, fail.
