India reached Brisbane on Wednesday with the hope of turning the clockback and emulating their Gabba 2021 feat in the third Test in Brisbane beginning on Saturday.
The script, though, looks tougher this time. Despite having few experienced players in the Ajinkya Rahane-led team, India had upstaged a full-strength Australia at their “fortress” Gabba in January 2021 to register an unbelievable 2-1 series win. The last time Australia had lost a Test match at the Gabba before that game was in November 1988.
This time, however, Team India although stronger on paper will need to tackle a “more traditional” Gabba pitch with pace and bounce, having a greener look than that of the unforgettable January 2021 Test.
“It’s not a drop-in wicket, which is there in Perth, Adelaide and Melbourne. The Gabba pitch will be its traditional self with pace and bounce,” a Cricket Australia source told The Telegraph on Wednesday.
“It’s a good wicket, so you can bat or bowl first. The new ball will do a fair bit. It’s about who can get through this in the best possible way.”
A 10-wicket defeat in Adelaide following a 295-run victory in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy opener in Perth was certainly a mood-spoiler for the Indian camp. From Saturday, another test of character awaits Rohit Sharma and Co. on a surface promising a lot more spice and bite.
Mitchell Starc, among the ones who wrecked India at the Adelaide Oval last week, has already fired a warning to the visitors. The conditions at the Gabba in January — India played that 2021 Test from January 15-19 — are quite different to how they are going to be in the coming days.
“I think at the Gabba, it will be a very different wicket from what India saw the last time (in 2021),” the ace pacer told Star Sports. “In January, the conditions are a lot warmer and drier, while the wicket is very flat in Brisbane. The conditions are hot and humid.
“But early in the season at the Gabba, it (pitch) is quite spicy and we generally see a lot of seam movement. So, we’ll try and pitch it up and let the ball do the talking.”
“Different times of the year definitely make it different... It can be a slightly different pitch,” Gabba curator David Sandurski said.
“Pitches later in the season might have a bit more wear and tear while the ones early in the season usually are a bit fresher and might have a bit more in them.”