The highly anticipated third Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy between India and Australia was marred by persistent rain, forcing Day 1 at Brisbane’s Gabba to be called off after just 13.2 overs on Saturday.
Australia, who were invited to bat by India after losing the toss, ended the rain-shortened day at 28/0. Openers Usman Khawaja (19 off 47) and Nathan McSweeney (4 off 33) remained unbeaten, navigating a cautious start under overcast conditions.
ALSO READ
The day began with high expectations from fans who had turned up in numbers, but the weather soon played spoilsport. The first interruption came during the sixth over, with drizzle halting play and bringing the covers onto the field. After a brief resumption, rain returned in the 14th over, forcing the players off the field for the rest of the day.
In total, only 13.2 overs could be bowled before the match officials called stumps. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) later announced on X that play would resume at 09:50 AM local time (5:20 AM IST) on Day 2, with a revised plan to bowl a minimum of 98 overs.
India’s pacers, led by Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj, aimed for an early breakthrough under gloomy skies but struggled for consistency. Australia’s openers showed resilience, with Khawaja and McSweeney confidently handling the early spells.
India’s momentum shifted slightly after the introduction of Akash Deep, playing his first match of the series after replacing Harshit Rana. The right-arm seamer troubled the Australian openers with sharp, inward-angling deliveries. He nearly dismissed McSweeney when a delivery narrowly missed the stumps.
Despite Akash Deep’s promising spells, runs remained scarce, and Australia’s batters focused on building a solid foundation. The opening duo faced minimal challenges as the rain repeatedly interrupted the rhythm of play.
Brief Scores: Australia 28/0 (Usman Khawaja 19, Nathan McSweeney 4) vs India.
India (Playing XI): Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant(w), Rohit Sharma(c), Ravindra Jadeja, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Akash Deep
Australia (Playing XI): Usman Khawaja, Nathan McSweeney, Marnus Labuschagne, Steven Smith, Travis Head, Mitchell Marsh, Alex Carey(w), Pat Cummins(c), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood.
Get every cricket update! Follow us on
