India Opts to Bowl First in Third Border-Gavaskar Trophy Test at Gabba
India won the toss and elected to bowl first against Australia in the third Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy at the Gabba on Saturday. The series, currently tied at 1-1, is poised for an exciting decider under overcast skies, with both teams eager to gain the upper hand.
This is the first instance in the series where India has chosen to bowl first after winning the toss. India made two changes to their lineup, bringing in Ravindra Jadeja and Akash Deep for the first time in the series. The duo replaced Ravichandran Ashwin and Harshit Rana, respectively.
India’s captain, Rohit Sharma, explained the decision, citing the favorable conditions: “A little bit overcast, a bit of grass, and the pitch looks soft, so we want to make the best of these conditions. We aim to utilize the ball up-front and make the most of the early overs,” Sharma said. “We know there’s a lot of cricket to be played. Both teams have been playing good cricket, and this is a big game for us.”
Sharma also emphasized the importance of capturing key moments, referencing their loss in the previous match. “We understand that we need to capture crucial moments, something we didn’t do in the last game,” he added, while expressing confidence in his team’s preparation and excitement for the challenge ahead.
Australia made one change to their squad, with Josh Hazlewood returning after recovering from a side strain. Hazlewood, who missed the Adelaide Test, replaced Scott Boland in the playing XI. Australia’s captain, Pat Cummins, also welcomed the favorable conditions, saying, “We would’ve bowled first too. It’s been a fantastic series so far, and we’re really happy with how things have gone in the lead-up to this game.”
Both teams are geared up for a competitive contest, with India looking to bounce back from their previous defeat, and Australia aiming to capitalize on their home advantage.
Playing XIs:
India: Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant (wk), Rohit Sharma (c), Ravindra Jadeja, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, and Akash Deep.
Australia: Usman Khawaja, Nathan McSweeney, Marnus Labuschagne, Steven Smith, Travis Head, Mitchell Marsh, Alex Carey (wk), Pat Cummins (c), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, and Josh Hazlewood.
