Brisbane’s rain has poured cold water on the start of the Gabba Test, with Australia fighting to 0-28 after being sent in by India before the rest of day one was washed away.
With a sold-out crowd of 30,145 in attendance and the series locked at 1-1, only 13.2 overs were possible before torrential rain hit and turned the Gabba into a lake.
Saturday’s crowd was the biggest ever at the Gabba for an India Test, but the low number of overs bowled means that fans will now be handed a refund.
AAP understands that will not impact Cricket Australia’s bottom line, with such instances usually underwritten by insurance policies.
On the field, Australia’s players will consider the day something of a victory after being sent in under overcast skies.
Better conditions are expected for Sunday, and while there will likely be some juice in the wicket early, any advantage India took by bowling first may be nullified by lunch.
In an opening session on Saturday that included a 30-minute stoppage for rain, Australia shone early as Usman Khawaja played with a real sense of purpose to be 19 not out.
Usman Khawaja hits the ball to the boundary for a four during day one. (Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images)
Dismissed 25 times in Test cricket since his last century at the start of the 2023 Ashes, Khawaja played with great intent and twice pulled Mohammed Siraj to the boundary.
He also clipped Jasprit Bumrah for another four to fine leg, with India’s strike weapon at times guilty of bowling too straight.
Nathan McSweeney was also not out alongside Khawaja on four when the heavy rain hit, having survived his first session at his childhood “home” of the Gabba.
India would have been frustrated to go without a wicket after captain Rohit Sharma had no hesitation in sending Australia in to bat.
Siraj in particular bowled too short in his first spell, before moving the ball around more in his second and beating the outside edge of Khawaja’s bat.
The tourists had earlier made two changes, with seamer Akash Deep and spinner Ravindra Jadeja coming in for Harshit Rana and Ravichandran Ashwin.
Jadeja’s call-up means India have used three spinners across the first three Tests, with Washington Sundar playing in Perth and Ashwin in Adelaide.
Australia’s only change from the 10-wicket win in Adelaide was Josh Hazlewood’s immediate return from a side strain.
His selection leaves Scott Boland as the unlucky man of Australian cricket, having now played in just 11 of a possible 34 Tests since his magical 2021 debut.
Minimal rain is forecast for Sunday, but there is a threat of bad weather lingering for the final three days of the Test.
© AAP