Australia are pushing ahead on day two at the Gabba, with Steve Smith and Travis Head both notching half-centuries to have the Aussies at 3/234 at tea.
Following the early departure of Usman Khawaja and Nathan McSweeney, Marnus Labuschange and Smith steadied the ship to get Australia within triple figures, with the arrival of Head helping to up the run rate.
The two have combined to push the game away from India, with Head notching up his second century in as many innings and Smith finally breaking his drought with a well-earned 50 – just his second in 2024.
Despite their efforts, the work is far from done if they hope to depart from Brisbane with a 2-1 series lead, and the hosts will be looking to consolidate a big total with more rain set for this afternoon.
Most valuable… what?
However, it is not the only surprise today, with Isa Guha raising eyebrows during the Fox Cricket broadcast with a strange comment towards Bumrah’s form.
Speaking on the morning broadcast alongside Brett Lee and Allan Border, Guha surprised her fellow commentators as they commended Bumrah for getting India back in the game – but also that the rest of the Indian side needs to stand up and support him.
“He’s the MVP isn’t he? Most valuable primate,” she said.
“Jasprit Bumrah, he is the one who is going to do all the talking for India, and why so much focus was on him in the build-up to this Test match, and whether he would be fit.
“He needs some support though.”
Responses on Twitter came thick and fast – with several being confused as to her choice of words despite the commentator praising the Indian fast bowler.
Haydos savages Smudge’s claims of ‘not out of form, just out of runs’
Prior to his half century before play resuming, Steve Smith admitted on Seven Cricket that he can turn his form around quickly – and has put down his form to being ‘out of runs.’
“[It’s about] staying present, trusting my processes,” said Smith before play resumed.
“I spoke to Divo [Michael Di Venuto] our batting coach after Adelaide, and we spoke about the difference between being out of form and out of runs.
“At the moment, I’m just out of runs. I feel like I’m hitting the ball nicely, copped a few good balls in the first few Test matches, got a bit unlucky in the last one down the leg side.
“I feel like I’m in a good place – I just need some time in the middle. Hopefully, I’ll get out there and post a score.”
(Photo by Albert Perez – CA/Cricket Australia via Getty Images)
However, Smith’s comments have been brutally shut down by Aussie great Matthew Hayden in the Fox Sports broadcast – with Haydos believing the proof is in the pudding.
“That sounds like a solid glaze of the Chrissy ham to me,” the former Australian opener said to fellow commentator Greg Blewett.
“I mean, seriously? You can’t deny the statistics – that’s the reality of your situation.
“You’re out of the game a whole lot more than you’re in it. You have to remain positive in your head, your mates and your coaches and all those… there’s no point tearing down the building.
“But the reality is you need to get runs – that’s your only commodity. Otherwise, the wolf of Vulture street is starting to hone in on it.”
Runs have now come, it seems.
Nathan McSweeney and Usman Khawaja. (Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)
Greats back Khawaja to return to form at Gabba
Usman Khawaja has fallen cheaply again early on day two at the Gabba, edging behind for 21 after looking promising early on day one – however several cricketing greats believe the veteran will regain form this series.
Calls to drop Khawaja had been growing following Australia’s poor showing in Perth, and while the side overall regathered momentum well in Adelaide, individual scores of 8, 4, 13 and 9 not out paint a bleak period for the Queenslander.
Speaking on Fox Sports, Brett Lee admitted that while Khawaja is nearing the end of his professional career, he still has plenty of runs left to score – but this innings is an opportunity he cannot afford to miss.
“It’s pretty cutthroat at the moment, isn’t it? We’re hearing Usman Khawaja coming towards the end of his career … that’s what they’re saying in the press,” Lee said yesterday during the rain delays.
“But I don’t really believe it, I don’t read into it too much.
“The signs are good for Usman Khawaja … (but) he needs the rhythm tomorrow to get back into his game and I think if he gets the opportunity he might get a big one.”
Despite the lean international form, the Sheffield Shield has been a good hunting ground in 2024 for Khawaja, scoring two half-centuries in three matches, while scoring an additional half-century in the one-day cup.
Lee’s fellow co-host Ravi Shastri backed up the Australian legend’s comments, believing that the departure of Warner is likely to affect him more than any other player – and that he has needed time to adjust with McSweeney alongside him.
“It does affect you big time,” Shastri said.
“A lot of the pressure is taken off you as a batsman (when) you can play your own game, leave a lot of balls because David would attack at the other end.
“There’s a player with intent, and the scoreboard will be ticking along.”
It is for this reason, according to Shastri, that India likely opted to bowl first, sensing the new partnership between Khawaja and McSweeney could be taken advantage of, adding pressure to the lower order.
“When runs are not coming at both ends, that’s one of the reasons why India must have opted to field first because they could have sensed an opportunity,” he explained.
“The top order hasn’t scored some runs, let’s make some early inroads and put pressure on the middle order.”
Australia ‘has their villain’ for the summer in Siraj
There may have only been 13 overs on day one, but it didn’t stop the Gabba crowd from letting Mohammad Siraj know exactly how they felt about him.
Hostilities have grown towards the fast bowler following his send-off of Travis Head in Adelaide – for which he received a 20 per cent fine, while Head was sanctioned and awarded one demerit point for his retort back.
While discourse has swelled since the event, with commentators on both the Indian and Australian front both condemning and defending the fast bowler for his aggression, the Australian cricketing public seems to have made up their mind on him.
Siraj has become the villain of the summer, with the crowd booing the fast bowler heavily when he got the ball in the second over to bowl.
So notable was the boos copped by Siraj, the SEN cricket commentary team has proclaimed that Australian cricket “have their villain” online, while other pundits, especially Indian supporters, believe this will only drive the fast bowler more to win.
Siraj has picked up where he left off – and the crowd has too – partnering with Jasprit Bumrah as India made quick work of McSweeney and Khawaja.
When it rains, it pours – especially for Cricket Australia
Day one of the Gabba Test is set to cost Cricket Australia millions of dollars, with punters entitled to a matchday refund.
Day one of the Test was billed as a full house, with a confirmed official attendance of 30,145. However, with just 13.2 overs bowled in the day, the crowd barely got to see any cricket, with over 40mm of rain falling across the day.
CA policy is for full refunds to be awarded to patrons for any match or day’s play where fewer than 15 overs are bowled, meaning had just ten more balls been bowled by India, fans would have been left out of pocket despite seeing far fewer than the slated 90 overs that constitutes a full day.
Should fans claim the refund, the result will likely see Cricket Australia lose millions of dollars – with one estimate proclaiming the first day may have cost the governing body at least $12,500 per ball.
Fortunately, day two has already proven to be much better at the Gabba, with rain and weather forecasts easing, but rain expected in the afternoon.