- Heavy rain interrupted play before lunch at the Gabba
- Fans will be able to get a full refund on their tickets.
- Refund figure to exceed $1 million for Cricket Australia
Brisbane rain has poured cold water on the start of the Gabba Test and will be costly for Cricket Australia.
Australia were 0-28 when rain stopped play before lunch at the Gabba on Saturday, before persistent heavy rain prevented players from returning at any time.
If the fans in attendance had seen only 10 more installments, they would have missed out on ticket refunds.
Cricket Australia’s refund policy states that fans are eligible for a full refund if fewer than 15 overs are bowled.
The Gabba is sold out, so the refund figure is likely to be well over $1 million.
On the field, Australia’s players will regard the day as a victory after being sent out under overcast skies.
Heavy rain prevented play before lunch at the Gabba on Saturday
Torrential rains will leave Cricket Australia with a major financial hit
Better conditions are expected on Sunday, and while there is likely to be some juice on the early wicket, any advantage India gained by bowling first may be nullified by lunch.
In an opening session on Saturday that included a 30-minute rain interruption, Australia shone early as Usman Khawaja played with a real sense of purpose to avoid being eliminated in 19th place.
Dismissed 25 times in Test cricket since his last century at the start of the 2023 Ashes, Khawaja played with great intent and twice pushed Mohammed Siraj to the boundary.
He also clipped Jasprit Bumrah for another four at fine leg, with India’s attacking weapon sometimes guilty of bowling too straight.
Nathan McSweeney was also not with Khawaja in four when the heavy rain fell, having survived his first session at his childhood ‘home’, the Gabba.
India would have been frustrated at being left without a wicket after captain Rohit Sharma did not hesitate to send Australia into bat.
Siraj, in particular, bowled too short in his first spell, before moving the ball further in the second and beating the outside edge of Khawaja’s bat.
The tourists had made two changes earlier, with seamer Akash Deep and spinner Ravindra Jadeja replacing Harshit Rana and Ravichandran Ashwin.
Usman Khawaja played with a real sense of purpose to not be out of the 19th
Jadeja’s call-up means India have used three spinners in the first three Tests, with Washington Sundar playing in Perth and Ashwin in Adelaide.
Australia’s only change from the 10-wicket win in Adelaide was the immediate return of Josh Hazlewood from a side strain.
His selection leaves Scott Boland as the unlucky man in Australian cricket, having played in just 11 of a possible 34 Tests since his magical debut in 2021.
Minimal rain is forecast for Sunday, but there is a threat of bad weather persisting for the final three days of the event.