Khawaja, McSweeney steady for 13.2 overs before rain ruins day one of Gabba Test
Day 1 - India decided to bowl first.
In the final 10 overs, the run rate was 21 runs with no wickets lost, averaging 2.10 runs per over.
When it was their turn to bat first after winning the toss, Australia’s opening batsmen successfully faced the new ball without losing any wickets during a short period of play.
The initial rain stoppage occurred following 5.3 overs of play. • AFP/Getty Images
Australia has scored 28 runs without losing any wickets, with Khawaja on 19 not out and McSweeney on 4 not out, facing India.
The first day of the third Border-Gavaskar Test match in Brisbane was affected by rain, allowing only 13.2 overs to be played. India, opting to bowl first, struggled to make an impact during that brief period.
The cloudy weather and the soft pitch led India to choose to bowl first after winning their third consecutive toss. Recent trends may have influenced this choice, as the team bowling first had secured victories in six of the last seven Tests played at this ground. However, it took some time for India's fast bowlers to settle into their rhythm, and the Australian openers appeared relatively comfortable during the initial 5.3 overs. This comfort was interrupted by a light rain that paused the match, with Usman Khawaja scoring 13 runs off 22 balls, taking advantage of any deliveries that were slightly too straight or short.
After a thirty-minute break, the game started up again, and the bowlers began to challenge the batsmen more effectively by varying their lengths and pitching the ball fuller. Akash Deep, who replaced Harshit Rana in the lineup, particularly stood out as the first change bowler. He expertly swung the ball and angled it into the right-handed Nathan McSweeney, also managing to get a few deliveries to rise unsettlingly.
Just as the match was getting exciting, with India only giving away nine runs in 7.5 overs after the break, the rain came back, and this time it was heavier. The Gabba's well-drained field suggested that play could resume quickly once the rain stopped, but everyone had to wait a long time, extending through both lunch and tea breaks. The rain eased up around 3 PM, but it wasn't long before it started pouring again. Ultimately, the match was halted at 4:13 PM.
In addition to Akash Deep, India included Ravindra Jadeja in their lineup for his first match of the series, replacing R Ashwin. This adjustment resulted in the team using three different spin bowlers throughout the first three Tests. On the Australian side, Josh Hazlewood came back into the team after overcoming a side injury, taking Scott Boland's spot in the bowling lineup.
Karthik Krishnaswamy works as an assistant editor for ESPNcricinfo.
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