Ind finish on high note in rain-hit Gabba Test

BRISBANE:

India may thank the heavens after rain cut short Australia’s push for victory on the final day of the third test in Brisbane on Wednesday, raising the stakes for Melbourne where the series shifts for the traditional ‘Boxing Day’ clash.

India were eight for no loss when tea was called early due to failing light at the Gabba, with the tourists needing 267 runs for victory.

With a heavy downpour preventing the resumption of play after the break, the match was abandoned and the series remains locked at 1-1.

“We’ll take that, obviously,” said India captain Rohit Sharma at the post-match presentation.

“We head to Melbourne with the confidence that we can try to pull things toward us.”

Captain Pat Cummins had declared Australia’s second innings closed at 89 for seven to give India an improbable 275-run victory target as dark clouds gathered near the ground.

Cummins and fellow pacer Mitchell Starc bowled only 2.1 overs at the Indian openers before play was halted.

Yashasvi Jaiswal was four not out, with KL Rahul also on four.

“Unfortunately a lot of rain, which you can’t do anything about… I’m really proud of how the guys played,” said Cummins.

“We were right ahead of the game…. We just about ticked off every box we could.” Australia bowled out India for 260 after scoring a first innings 445, with rain blighting the match throughout.

After capturing India’s final wicket in the first hour on day five, Australia led by 185 runs but rain denied them the chance to bat until after lunch.

In search of quick runs, Australia crashed to 33 for five as Akash Deep and Jasprit Bumrah removed the top four for single-digit scores, a day after the pacemen combined in a brave 10th-wicket partnership to ensure India would avoid the follow-on.

Travis Head and Alex Carey (19 not out) briefly stemmed the bleeding with a 27-run partnership before Head top-edged Mohammed Siraj to be out for 17.

Cummins slogged 22 off 10 balls before becoming Bumrah’s third wicket and declared five balls later.

Australia’s hopes of forcing a result were always hostage to the weather but their chances of victory were already wafer-thin given their attack was a man down.

Pace stalwart Josh Hazlewood was out of action after succumbing to a calf injury, while there were also concerns about all-rounder Mitchell Marsh’s fitness after he bowled only two overs in the match.

Travis Head was named Player of the Match after scoring 152 in Australia’s first innings, having also scored a big hundred in the hosts’ second test win in Adelaide.

Frustrated Cummins

“I can’t even remember the number of times we were on and off over the five days,” Cummins said. After dismissing Deep early Wednesday, Australia opted to go for quick runs to try and get India in again on a spicy Gabba wicket.

The Australians came out blazing and lost seven wickets on the way for 89 before declaring, only for rain to end the match 2.1 overs into India’s second innings.

“It’s really hard to predict the weather but we’re always looking to try and set up the game,” Cummins said.

“It felt like there were plenty of wickets on offer – it was just trying to get a total and try and have enough overs to take 10 wickets.”

Cummins also said the under-performing Australian top order of Usman Khawaja, Nathan McSweeney and Marnus Labuschagne, who failed again in the second innings, should not be judged on Wednesday’s performance.

“I’m really proud of everyone going out there and trying to win the Test match,” he said.

“We’re big on buying into a game plan and a style and they all played with good intent.

“Today I wouldn’t look (at their scores) too much – it was all about trying to get ourselves to a number rather than trying to preserve wickets.”

“Especially here in Brisbane it normally pelts down for a couple of hours and then you’re back on and it’s clear.

“It’s frustrating because it felt like we were ahead for pretty much all of it, but it wasn’t to be.”

Australia scored 445 in the first innings after being sent in, but missed their chance to enforce a follow-on when Indian 10th-wicket pair Jasprit Bumrah and Akash Deep sneaked the visitors to 260 with a vital 47-run partnership. REUTERS/AFP