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.
The Gabba cops a soaking. Photograph: Pat Hoelscher/AP
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.
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.
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.
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.
Akash Deep appeals for the wicket of Nathan McSweeney. Photograph: Pat Hoelscher/AP
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.
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.
Nathan McSweeney plays a steady role as Australia seek to see off the new ball against India. Photograph: Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images
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.
Usman Khawaja runs back to the sheds as rain delays play at the Gabba. Photograph: David Gray/AFP/Getty Images
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
Martin Pegan
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!
