Rohit Sharma-led Team India arrived in Brisbane on Wednesday ahead of the third Test of the prestigious Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) against Australia. The five-match series is currently tied, with both teams having won one match each.
Australia dominated the second Test at the Adelaide Oval, securing a commanding 10-wicket victory. Travis Head’s brilliant century, combined with outstanding bowling performances from Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins, helped Australia win by 10 wickets.
The third Test between Australia and India will begin on Saturday at the iconic Gabba. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) shared a clip of Team India traveling from Adelaide to Brisbane, showing the players in a relaxed mood as they prepare to take on Australia in the crucial third Test.
Recap of the Adelaide Test
India won the toss and opted to bat first in the second Test but struggled against a moving, unpredictable pink ball. Mitchell Starc was the standout performer with the ball, taking 6/48. KL Rahul (37 off 64 balls) and Shubman Gill (31 off 51 balls) shared a 69-run partnership for the second wicket, but India were eventually bowled out for just 180 runs. Captain Pat Cummins and Scott Boland also contributed with two wickets each.
In Australia’s first innings, a crucial 67-run partnership between Nathan McSweeney (39 off 109 balls) and Marnus Labuschagne (64 off 126 balls) laid the foundation for Travis Head’s counter-attacking 140 off 141 balls, including 17 fours and four sixes. This century helped Australia reach 337 runs, giving them a 157-run lead over India.
Jasprit Bumrah (4/61) and Mohammed Siraj (4/98) were India’s top bowlers, while Ravichandran Ashwin and Nitish Kumar Reddy claimed one wicket each.
India’s second innings saw another collapse. The top and middle order struggled, despite some promising starts from Yashasvi Jaiswal (24 off 31 balls) and Shubman Gill (28 off 30 balls). KL Rahul (7) and Virat Kohli (11 off 21 balls) were dismissed cheaply. At the end of day two, India were in a precarious position at 128/5.
On the third day, Rishabh Pant fell for 28 off 31 balls. India were eventually bowled out for 175 runs in just 36.5 overs, leaving Australia with a target of 19 runs to win. Cummins (5/67) was the star with the ball, taking a five-wicket haul, while Boland (3/51) and Starc (2/60) also played key roles.
Australia chased down the target effortlessly, with Usman Khawaja (10*) and McSweeney (9*) completing the 19-run chase in just 3.2 overs to secure a dominant victory.
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