India vs Australia: Border-Gavaskar third Test opens with a near washout
Al Jazeera
The first day of the third Test is a near washout as Australia and India are left frustrated by rain in Brisbane.
India’s bowlers were left frustrated and wicketless as rain wiped out most of the opening day’s play in the third Test against Australia in Brisbane on Saturday.
Australia were 28-0 when play was abandoned, with Usman Khawaja unbeaten on 19 and Nathan McSweeney on four after facing only 13.2 overs at a rain-sodden Gabba.
India captain Rohit Sharma won the toss and elected to field first but his hope of early wickets proved forlorn, with rain halting play in the sixth over for about 30 minutes and dashing his pace bowlers’ hopes of finding their rhythm.
The rain returned to bring an early lunch and persisted until play was abandoned late in the afternoon, short-changing a crowd of 30,145.
The Gabba pitch had a green tinge on what had been a steamy, overcast morning, promising a stiff examination for Australia’s top order, but the ball ultimately did little off the spongy pitch.
