Brisbane: What started as a promising day at the Gabba quickly turned disappointing. Only 13.2 overs were bowled on the first day of the third Test in the Border Gavaskar Trophy, and Australia was at 28 runs without losing a wicket. With just under 15 overs played, fans who turned up didn’t get much action, and it made sense that play was stopped due to rain. Ironically, the rain stopped soon after play was called off.
The day began with some excitement. The weather was cloudy, but there was no rain that morning. India won the toss and chose to bowl first, even though Shubman Gill thought the pitch looked good for batting. India made some changes to their team, bringing in Akash Deep and Ravindra Jadeja. Rohit Sharma, India’s captain, felt the overcast conditions were suitable for their bowlers to take advantage of.
The decision to bring in Akash Deep was expected since he had been bowling well before the match started. However, fans were surprised to see Jadeja in instead of Washington Sundar, who also has a history at the Gabba.
When the game started, India hoped for early wickets from Jasprit Bumrah, but he didn’t perform as strongly as before. The pitch looked good for batting, providing bounce but not much movement sideways, making it easier for the batters compared to previous games in Perth and Adelaide.
The first break in play happened after 5.3 overs. India’s bowlers weren’t targeting the right spots, but this break gave them time to regroup. Rohit, Bumrah, and Rishabh Pant were seen talking ideas over, soon joined by Virat Kohli. After the break, they bowled better, keeping runs down but still struggling to take wickets.
India should be worried about this lack of wickets, but right now they just want to keep playing cricket. If the sun comes out, the pitch might become faster, but there are no guarantees. The forecast for Day 2 looks better, but the rest of the days will likely have interruptions from rain. In modern cricket, time is precious, and teams must always be on their toes, as another collapse can happen anytime. Fans should brace themselves for an exciting Test!
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