Border Gavaskar Trophy: Can India repeat the Gabba heroics in the third Test?

Though late, India has finally faced the pressure they had anticipated from Australia ahead of the start of their tour Down Under. It’s been a decade since Australia last claimed the Border Gavaskar Trophy. However, this is the same Australian team that beat India to win the 2023 WTC Final and later the ODI World Cup. Moreover, India began their Australia tour carrying the baggage of a 0-3 Test whitewash against New Zealand, their first-ever at home. Thus, the odds seemed to favor the Aussies ahead of the Perth Test, the opening fixture of the BGT series. However, playing without skipper Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill, the team dominated Perth with a 295-run victory under interim skipper Jasprit Bumrah.

A reality check, a brutal one at that, followed soon after, as the Aussies displayed their prowess with the pink ball in Adelaide. The Adelaide Test exposed the frailties of the Indian team. The batting order collapsed against Mitchell Starc, and the day-night conditions didn’t favor the visitors one bit. The bowling lineup, meanwhile, relied solely on the brilliance of Jasprit Bumrah. In fact, based on the performance in Adelaide, the entire Indian playing XI seemed to be riding on Bumrah’s back to make inroads in the game.

The batting order for the Adelaide Test featured Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul, the winning combination from Perth, at the top. Shubman Gill, marking a return after recovering from a thumb injury, reclaimed his No. 3 position as Devdutt Padikkal exited. Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant, and Rohit Sharma, who shifted to the middle order to give Rahul the opening spot, followed next. However, none of these names made any significant impact in Adelaide. If not for a gritty and bold knock from young all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy down the order, even reaching 150, India’s first-inning score at Perth, seemed insurmountable.

While the team staged a redemption in the second innings of the Perth Test, the tale stood in stark contrast in Adelaide. The second innings wrapped up again with the sole notable contribution coming from Reddy’s bat. With just 19 runs to defend, the Adelaide Test concluded in the early hours of the third day as Australia leveled the series 1-1 with a 10-wicket victory. Now, the team faces a critical challenge in Brisbane as the tussle heats up in the five-match series.

India would hope to repeat their Gabba heroics in the third Border Gavaskar Trophy Test

India will aim to repeat the heroics that led them to breach the Gabba fortress. The historic victory, led by Rishabh Pant, saw Australia lose a Test at Gabba for the first time in 32 years. However, for India to replicate that success, the batters must step up. The hero of the Gabba breach, Rishabh Pant, has managed only 85 runs across the two matches of the Border Gavaskar Trophy so far. While Kohli notched his 81st career ton, his form didn’t seem significantly improved at the Adelaide Oval. Rohit Sharma continues to struggle, while young players like Jaiswal and Gill remain inconsistent.

Moreover, the team as a whole needs to relieve Jasprit Bumrah of some additional burden. Mohammed Shami will not be joining the team in Brisbane, leaving the squad to find the best combination among prospects like Harshit Rana, Akash Deep, and Prasidh Krishna. While Harshit Rana made an impressive debut at Perth, his inexperience was evident in the Adelaide Test as Travis Head hammered the seamer around the ground.

Meanwhile, the latest update from Brisbane suggests that the Gabba pitch will pose a significant challenge. Unlike the previous edition, where India played at Gabba in mid-January, this fixture is in December. The pitch curator indicated that the turf will be fresh and true to its nature, offering pace and bounce. While the visitors will keep their last win in mind, it is set to be an uphill battle against the Aussies this time.