By Brian Thomas.
The Gabba test between India and Australia was disappointing to many spectators and cricket lovers around the world. Millions of television viewers were disappointed , players frustrated in the dressing room whilst journalists drank more coffee than use their laptops and pens , as mother nature show caused her authority with intermediate show of rain , hence Rohit Sharma and his men was the beneficiary and not Pat Cummins and his unit.
This 5 Test series is good as the Ashes , not traditional, but in terms of competitive on field battle, it has a higher rating.
The first Test at Perth saw India give the Australian batters a homegrown medicine of chin music to toe crushes with Japrit Bumrah pocketing an eleven wickets haul and help his team with a 233 run victory. The Australian team meetings were how to negate the variety the world-class new ball bowler has in his armoury , and the pertinent conclusion is the Jasprit Bumrah factor being the thorn in the flesh factor.
As expected, the Australian batters sought out the problem by ensuring not to fiddle with his 4th stump deliveries and ensure get bat on ball with a short back lift and cover the line of the yorker length by playing the deadly wicket taking ball with great caution. Travis Head, the Australian sensation started to get under the skin of the visitors. His contribution with the bat in the first essay coupled with an all-around performance by the seam trio headed by Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins got the job done at the Adelaid Oval as the Australian thumped Rohit Sharma and his men by 10 wickets to square the series.
The third test at Gabba saw the Indian bowlers despite being disciplined but losing control after reducing Australia to 75 runs for 3 wickets after inviting the home team to bat first on a cloudy morning. Travis Head and Steve Smith showed the real taste of the Australian grit.
Travis with 152 runs and Smith with almost a flawless 101 with Alex Carey contributing 71 runs ensured a match winning score of 445 runs for Australia that too, after being put into bat. India lost the to order cheaply. K. L. Rahul, the only batter who could wither the storm with a brilliant technically correct innings of 84 , a late order contribution of 71 by Ravindra Jadeja , and an unexpected tail wag by Jasprit Bumrah and Ashok Deep helped India to avoid a follow on in scoring 260 runs with the support of the weather God’s and India were saved by the bell.
The boxing day Test at Melbourne is scheduled to be played on Boxing Day with both teams on equal wins and keeps them in the hunt for Lords 2025 WTC with South Africa heading the pack. South Africa plays Pakistan at Cape Town on boxing day .
This first test is important for proteas because a win will help them to reconfirm their seats to good old blighty come the summer of 2025.
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