INDvsAUS: 10 facets of fourth Test as ‘The Gabbatoir’ awaits team India

If there’s an award for the most intimidating cricket ground in the world, 99 out of 100 times a cricketer would go for Gabba blindly. Aggressive crowds holding beers, taunting the visiting team for the slightest mis-fields and chanting nightmare spells for the visiting batsmen are some usual scenes at the Brisbane-based ground.

Now that Ajinkya Rahane and company have already attained some reputation of giving it back to the Aussie boos, this Test – arguably the most tough one of the series – holds a uphill task for the visitors. India will play Australia at Gabba in the ‘winner takes it all’ Test on January 15. While a draw could bring the Border-Gavaskar trophy back to India, the hosts will have to put their best foot forward and aim nothing less than a win.

Also read: ‘Only tomorrow morning you will know, which XI is going to play’: India’s batting coach Vikram Rathour

Ten facets of the Gabba Test:

1) Why Gabba and not Brisbane Cricket Ground?

Brisbane Cricket Ground is the official address of the ground situated in the southeast of the city. However, given the fact that it is located in the suburb of Woolloongabba, Gabba – a short form – is easier to perform. It is called the ‘Gabbatoir’ for the supremacy of the Australian team at the venue

2) Statistical analysis of the Gabba

Out of the 62 Test matches played in Brisbane, 25 have been won by teams batting first. 23 matches have been won by teams bowling first and 14 games haven’t gone either ways. The first innings average at the Gabba is 337 runs and the average second innings  score is 321 runs. The going gets tough in the third and fourth innings as the average comes down to 242 and 163 runs, respectively.

3) Australia at the Gabba

In the 62 Tests the Australian team has played at Brisbane since 1931, they have lost only eight times with one match being tied against the West Indies in 1960. Only England, West Indies and New Zealand have managed to beat the home team at Gabba. The men in baggy green came down to a winning margin of 16 runs against India in 1977 – their lowest at this venue.

Also read: Ahead of Gabba Test, Tim Paine says Steve Smith ‘feeds off’ criticism

4) India at the Gabba

The Indian Test team have lost five and drawn one game at Brisbane. The draw came in 2003 when Sourav Ganguly and company lead by the skipper’s 144 had managed to get runs. Virat Kohli’s side in 2018-19 did not play a match in Brisbane.

5) Injury scares for the visitors

Ravi Shastri might have to grant Washington Sundar his Test debut given Ravindra Jadeja has been ruled out of the series. KL Rahul, Mohammed Shami and Umesh Yadav are also not available for the final Test of the series. Clouds of uncertainty hover around Jasprit Bumrah, Ravichandran Ashwin and Hanuma Vihari’s heads too. Another possibility could be playing four pacers – Mohammed Siraj, Navdeep Saini, Shardul Thakur and T Natrajan – at Gabba.

6) Australia’s woes

While Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne clicked in Sydney, the rest of the Australian order is yet to fire with consistency. Their bowling department looks sorted with the five options Tim Paine holds, but after Indians managed to frustrate arguably the best attack in the world currently, Langer would have to approach this game with better plans for his bowlers.

7) Get big runs to win the game

A bouncy pitch awaits the two teams who would want to trust on one of the truest wickets in Australia. While healthy bounce and steamy strokes can be predicted, Kevin Mitchell jnr, Australia’s best groundsman resisted the calls for a drop-in pitch, saying it will be difficult to replicate the traditional characteristics, if a drop-in pitch was installed, ESPN reports.

8) Ajinkya Rahane aka Mr Dependable

India is yet to see it’s fifth centurion at the Gabba. The best of the current Indian lot is Ajinkya Rahane, someone who has seen some success against the bounce at this venue. Rahane’s 81 run knock in Brisbane in 2014 stood apart at other mainstays – Shikhar Dhawan (24), Cheteshwar Pujara (18) and Virat Kohli (19) – had departed for cheap. 

9) Gabba offers perfect conditions to Nathan Lyon’s secret delivery

Nathan Lyon, who will play his 100th Test match on Friday, had earlier said that Brisbane will offer the correct bounce he needs to execute the secret delivery he has been working on. The off-spinner said that the slow Sydney wicket did not allow him to bring the secret delivery during the drawn third Test.

“This summer has been challenging with obviously playing against India again. They have come up with plans to combat me. But to be honest I am quite happy with the way I have been bowling. I have been able to create some chances which has been really positive…but some days the wheel doesn’t turn around and you don’t have much luck in the middle,” said Lyon. 

10) The match will run with subtitles saying, “Do or die”

With a win or even a draw at Gabba, the Indian team would successfully retain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Tim Paine and company desperately need a win to avoid any further humiliation and break India’s successful spell in Australia.