Breaking: Ravichandran Ashwin has announced his retirement from international cricket.

Who else than Travis Head? He is the player of the match for his 152 in the first inning that nearly threw India out of the match. However, the news from the centre is that he has sustained a groin injury and his participation in the next test match is under question. 

The umpires have decided to call it a day as it does not look like it to be getting better anytime soon. It stays 1-1 at the Gabba!

It could have been an interesting last session of test match but the weather does not allow that. 

We will see you during the boxing day test.

There won't be another ball bowled in the game. The covers have been nailed down. It's raining heavily now.

Bad light stops play and here comes the covers as well. The tea has been taken and we will have an update soon.

That's it from Australia. Off they running! 

They declare at 89/7 and the target for India is 275 runs in 54 overs.

A slower ball from Bumrah does the crease and gets Pat Cummins. It was like they were about to declare but decided against it. 

Cummins wanted to go big again and got the top edge only. Good catch from KL Rahul at mid-on.

Australia 85/7 and lead by 270 runs.

Captain Pat Cummins doing what he has asked the other batters to do. He has now hit two huge sixes and now batting at 21 from 8 balls. 

A rash shot from Travis Head and surely the Aussies have some target in their mind. Otherwise, we would not have seen these kinds of shots from them.

On a shortish good length from Siraj and Head wanted a piece of that. He only managed to get a top edge and Rishabh Pant again took a good catch, running behind to dismiss him.

Australia 60/6 and lead by 245 runs.

ARE WE? ARE WE MOVING FORWARD TO A SPECIAL FIFTH DAY?#INDvAUS

— Koushik Biswas (@kbofficial25) December 18, 2024

Australia looking to get going and Smith just had come down the crease to get a four over the mid-off the ball before now has edged it down the leg side.

Blunder of a catch from Rishabh Pant to remove the centurion from the last inning.

The wicket belongs to Pant for the catch.

Australia 35/5 and lead by 220 runs. 

Akash Deep removes Mitchell Marsh. The tough time continues for the all-rounder and India have their fourth wicket.

In and around the sixth stump, moving away from Marsh and he just wanted to play it towards the covers and he gets a nick and Pant has a regulation catch. 

Australia 28/4, lead by 213 runs. 

Steve Smith comes to bat at number six. Can India break the Head-Smith partnership this time?

No Steve Smith at the number for Australia. It is Mitchell Marsh who walked in at that position. Marsh has not had any success with the bat this series and looks like the home wants him to have some confidence before the Boxing day test. 

Dreamy start for India although there will not be any results from this match, this would do good for Akash Deep.

A few vital runs with the bat and now a wicket in his first over. It was short and wide from Akash and McSweeney looked to cut it hard. But, that was nothing shot from the opener. 

Australia 16/3 and lead by 201 runs. 

Bumrah gets his 20th wicket of the series. Marnus Labuschagne looked to poke at a ball outside the sump and could not reach the bat's middle. 

Australia 16/2 in the second inning.

Jasprit Bumrah gets Usman Khawaja with the first ball he has bowled to the left-handed. Around the wicket, the ball came back in with the angle and after an inside edge, the ball hit the stump after a deflection from his pads. 

This is the third time Bumrah got Usman's back in this series. His 19th wicket of the series and we have not completed the third test yet.

Six outswingers were coming from the edge of the popping crease, creating an angle, and then moving away. Bumrah made sure he forced McSweeney to watch the ball close and play.

However, the pace was a bit down at 126km, 128kmph and 131kmph, before he fired up his engine.

I am pretty sure we will only see one spell from Jasprit Bumrah. 

We will have a game soon and the pitch is getting rolled now at the moment.

The batters were ready to come out but there was lightning near the stadium and the play was halted. It is dark and gloomy and it looks like we will have no game played soon.

Travis Head gest Akash Deep. An important 31 off 44 from India's no.11

Head had dragged him forward for a defence but Akash had dragged his right foot and a smart stumping from Alex Carey as well.

India all-out for 260 and despite being behind by 185 runs, Australia will have to bat again.

India avoids follow-on! 

A fighting 33-run partnership for the 11th wicket by Jasprit Bumrah and Akash Deep helps India avoid the follow-on.

Akash Deep 21*, Jasprit Bumrah 10*

Akash Deep 17, Bumrah 10

If India can score this 11, they certainly will save the test match! 

Bumrah and Akash Deep doing their best!

Akash Deep 10 and Bumrah 9. 

Pat Cummins gets his fourth. Ravindra Jadeja tried to go for another big shot against the short ball and this time he found the man on the boundary line. 

A wonderful inning from Jadeja comes to an end. He goes for 77 off 123. 

India 213/9, train by 232. 

India 8 down as Mitchell Starc gets  Siraj, edged to Alex Carey! 

Siraj goes for 1. India 201/8. 

India 201/7; Jadeja 65; Siraj 1. 

Australia break the partnership. It is their captain Pat Cummins who goes through the defences of Nitish Kumar Reddy and Australia have their 7th wicket.

Reddy goes for 16 from 61. India 194/7. 

A steady 50-run partnership between Nitish Kumar Reddy and Ravindra Jadeja! 

India getting close to that follow-on mark! 

IND 191/6. Jadeja 59, Reddy 13. 

Both Nitish Kumar Reddy and Ravindra Jadeja looking under control at the moment against Starc and Lyon!

India 187/6 and trail by 257 runs 

We have a maximum of 38 overs to be played before the end of today’s play.

Here comes the rain again! IND 180/6

Ravindra Jadeja completes his 22nd test fifty in the first over after lunch! 

He looked better as the innings progressed and surely now would look to score runs whenever there is an opportunity! 

The rain has stopped and the play will resume at 9.40 at IST

It has been raining for quite a time now and looks like there will not be any balls played soon! 

This would be frustrating for Australia as they would like to get these four wickets as soon as possible and enforce a follow on. 

Good news for India though! 

Nitish Kumar Reddy survived a DRS review from Australia just one ball before the break and India’s struggle continues at 167/6 with Ravindra Jadeja being not out on 41! 

India still trail by 278 runs and 78 runs to avoid follow-on! 

A top class inning from KL Rahul comes to end. Nathan Lyon from over the wicket, with his loop and revolution made Rahul thought the ball was short enough to go for a cut shot.

But, he only was able to get an outside edge and Steve Smith at first slip dived to his right and took a stunner to dismiss him.

Rahul goes for 84. The partnership between him and Jadeja is broken now. 

India lose their 6th! IND 141/6

In case you missed it, KL Rahul was dropped by Steve Smith on 33! 

KL Rahul’s lone fight continues for India s he completes his 17th test fifty!

 He has been the best batter technically from India and has shown the mix of good defence and attacking shots throughout the innings! 

Loose, very loose and the Indian captain falls. Probing line and length from Cummins, pitched up in that channel just outside off and draws Rohit forward, he's very tentative, the feet is rooted to the crease and he only manages a thin edge, straight into the gloves of Carey and he doesn't drop those.

Rohit goes for 10 from 27. India lose their 5th! 

It was a frustrating day for all the players and fans as well. No more balls were played and we had nearly about 6 breaks in the day and players had to come in and out of the dissing room at regular intervals.

KL Rahul Looked really good while other Indian battles struggled to get going after playing some poor shots. India currently are struggling at 51 for 4 with Captain Witch Sharma and Kill Rahul on the crease.

India trail by 394 runs.

With bad light not allowing fast bowlers to have a go at Rohit and Rahul, Nathan Lyon and Travis Head start the bowling for the Aussies. And after two overs of play, the drizzle comes again.

 The rain is back and so are the covers!

Frustrating for the players and fans. The rain came again as KL Rahul hit a beautiful cover drive and had to leave the field disappointedly. 

IND 48/4 (14.1)

Aussie captain Pat Cummins strikes post the break. He gets Rishabh Pant nicking around the off stump. 

A good length delivery going across Pant and the Indian keeper-batter just poked at it, getting an edge to Alex Carey.

India 44/4 and are in deep trouble. 

The sun is out and the game resumes again.

The difference between Indian bowlers' pitch map and Australian bowlers' pitch map.

Australian bowlers always looked to be a bit fuller with pitching it short every now and then.

Meantime, Indian bowlers bowled short while bowling fuller every now and then. #AUSvsIND pic.twitter.com/5K9s8LRDGw

— Koushik Biswas (@kbofficial25) December 16, 2024

KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant looked good before the rain interrupted the game again. Rahul, who might have been India's best batter at the top of the order, looked in control of everything and punched on everything short and on leg stump.

Meantime, Rishabh Pant took his time and focused on his defence while playing a cover drive when Starc pitched it up. 

India 39/3 in 13 overs, trailing by 406 runs. 

Rahul is unbeaten on 21 from 47 balls. Pant is unbeaten on 9 from 11 balls.

The second session of Day 3 starts as Rishabh Pant joins KL Rahul in the middle.

Another Indian batter gets out fetching for the ball outside the off-stump. On a fullish length, way outside the off-stump, Virat Kohli again went for a big drive and got the outside edge.

He did not learn from the mistake he made in the first ball of his inning and now goes back to the pavilion for 3 from 16 balls.

India struggling at 22/3 and trail by 423 runs.

The rain halted the game again as Kohli went back to the dressing room and lunch has been taken.

The same line, going across the batter from a close angle and Kohli, playing his first ball went for a big drive searching for an early boundary.

He nearly got the edge and it is a very poor shot selection from Kohli when your team are at 6/2.

Mitchell Starc has Shubman Gill now. Very, very poor shot from the Indian No.3. But, a top-class catch from Mitchell Marsh in the gully. 

Fullish, outside off stump and the length induced Gill to go for the big, expensive drive. He gets the outside edge and Mitchell Starc dives in the air to grab the catch. 

Shubman Gill is gone for 1(3).

India really struggling now. India 6/2. 

9 innings
158 balls
104 runs
6 dismissals
17.33 avg.

Brilliant start for Australia and Micthell Starc. 

139kph, half-volley on middle and leg, Yashasvi Jaiswal flicks and chips it straight to Marsh at short midwicket.

Just the second ball of the inning and India lose their first wicket. 

Jaiswal goes for 4(2). India 4/1. 

Australia finishes their first inning at 445, and off they run as the rain halts the game. Carey falls for 70 while going for a pull shot, and Akash Deep finally has a wicket. 

So, Bumrah finishes with 76/6, Siraj with 97/2, Akash Deep 95/1, and Nitish Reddy 65/1. 

Most not-in-control shots induced by a bowler in a Test innings for 1 or 0 wickets since 2014:

57 - Graeme Cremer vs WI, Bulawayo, 2017 (1 wicket in 2nd inns)
56 - Mohammed Shami vs ENG, The Oval, 2018 (0 wickets in 1st inns)
53 - Akash Deep vs AUS, Brisbane, 2024 (1 wicket in 1st inns)
50 - R Ashwin vs ENG, Chennai, 2016 (1 wicket in 1st inns)
50 - Mitchell Swepson vs PAK, Karachi, 2022 (0 wickets in 4th inns)

A dominating day from the Australian batters' end. Australia finished the day at 405/7 with Alex Carey unbeaten 45 from 47 balls with Mitchell Starc unbeaten on 7 from 7 in the other end. 

But it was all about Steve Smith and Travis Head who dominated Indian bowlers for fun. Head scored his third test ton in six tests against India and second of the series. He single-handedly took the game to India and scored a 152 from just 160 balls before Jasprit Bumrah made his return to the dressing room.

Meantime, Steve Smith scored his 33rd test ton and equalled the record for most test tons against India (10). Smith toiled hard at the beginning and was a bit lucky as well but it all paid off as he looked more confident with time.

For India, it was Jasprit Bumrah fighting against the Australian team. Another five-wicket haul for the modern-day great. He collected his 12th test five-for and became the Indian bowler with the most test five-wicket hauls in SENA countries (8).

Everyone thought Australia might declare before the end of the day, but it looks like they want to score as much as they can and throw India out of the test match completely. 

Mohammed Siraj finally gets the reward for the heart he has put into his bowling. He ran in hard and hit the deck hard around the off stump from a good length and Cummins knicks it off to Pant for Australia's seventh wicket.

Cummins goes after 20 from 33 balls.

How long will they bat? 

Alex Carey and Pat Cummins looking to add some quick runs as we head into the final hour of the day. Australia crossed 350 and might look anything close to 400 before calling India to bat.

Most five-wicket hauls in Tests for Indian Pacers:

Kapil Dev - 23
Jasprit Bumrah - 12
Zaheer Khan - 11
Ishant Sharma - 11

Jasprit Bumrah at his best first gets Mitchell Marsh (5). On a good length and holding its line outside off - Marsh is tentatively forward in defence, the ball holds its line and finds the edge, goes at a good height to second slip where Kohli clutches it reverse cupped.

Three balls later he got the better of Travis Head. Pitched up full and outside off, just a hint of movement away, Head throws his hands at it looking to nail it through cover, feet didn't move and he could only manage a thick outside edge that flew to Pant who made no mistake.

Head went to a standing ovation after a remarkable 152 off 160 balls. Bumrah has his 12th test five-wicket haul.

Finally, Jasprit Bumrah gets the better of Steve Smith. A sharp catch by the Indian captain Rohit Sharma in the first slip. It was a bit fullish and Smith went for the drive with a hard hand. 

Smith goes for a well-made 101 from 190 balls. 

Australia 316/4.

Most Test hundreds against India

10 in 41 inngs: Steven Smith
10 in 55 inngs: Joe Root
8 in 30 inngs: Gary Sobers
8 in 41 inngs: Viv Richards
8 in 51 inngs: Ricky Ponting

A standing ovation from the Gabba crowd as Steve Smith gets to his 33rd Test ton. This one was tough. Struggled early and gave himself time to settle in. 

A century that included 12 boundaries. This is Steve Smith's 10th test ton against India.

Rohit Sharma decides to opt for the new ball as they keep on searching for a way to dismiss Travis Head and Steve Smith 

Rohit Sharma drops Travis Head in the slips. Head tried to play the ball on the leg side and got a thick edge towards the second slip. Rohit noticed it late and even after a dive, could not grab the ball. 

130 runs. 27 overs. No wickets. 

Australia dominated the second session and have taken the game away from India. From 75/3 to 234/3, Travis Head and Steve Smith have dominated India in every way possible.

Rohit again missed the trick by not bringing Jasprit Bumrah back immediately when Head came to the crease. 

Steve Smith is now back in form as well and India need to take wickets before Australia throw India out of the third test. 

Back-to-back test tons for Travis Head. His 9th test ton, second here in Brisbane and third in the last six tests against India! 

He just keeps on bashing India. A bit unorthodox, and flashy and scores plenty of runs at a quick rate.

Might not be his best or most fluent, but Steve Smith toils hard to another test fifty. A hard-fought fifty in 128 balls, with many plays and misses. 

This might be the start of a great comeback for the former Aussie captain. 

Travis Head's last seven innings vs India in Tests

• 90(163)
• 163(174)
• 18(27)
• 11(13)
• 89(101)
• 140(141)
• 51*(72)

This partnership between Travis Head and Steve Smith now have started looking ominous for India. Steve Smith played and missed a few times but looked to be positive in the second inning. 

Meantime, Travis Head continued from where he left in Adelaide and has not allowed Indian bowlers to settle in. He completed his 18th test fifty in just 71 balls including six boundaries.

Know which team need how many wins to qualify for the World Test Championship final. 

Akash Deep may have bowled over the second session but could not manage to get Steve Smith out. He went a bit fuller and Smith drove him down the ground for him. In the next two balls, he brought the length a bit back and missed the outside edge by a few centimetres. Ever Smith told him "Well bowled"

In the next ball, he pushed an inswinger and missed the leg stump as we got to see the replay during the DRS review. 

A very good morning for India and Indian bowlers. They did not allow any of the Australian batters to dominate, except for Travis Head. 

Jasprit Bumrah struck early with two wickets of both the openers and the Nitish Kumar Reddy dismissed Marnus Labuschagne to make it India's session. Steve Smith survived a few times against Akash Deep and Nitish Kumar Reddy. 

Meantime, Travis Head tried to take on the bowlers and missed quite a few balls as well. 

Mohammed Siraj had left the field with pain in the hamstring but returned later as well. 

Australia 104/3 at lunch break on Day 2. Steve Smith 25 (68) and Travis Head 20* (35) are at the crease for Australia. 

With Mohammed Siraj already outside the field with pain in the hamstring, Jasprit Bumrah now receives treatment on his right foot.

If he is out, India's hopes would be gone.

Luckily for India, he is out bowling the next over.

Akash Deep came to complete Siraj's over and with his first ball, he hit Smith on front. But, it was given not out by the onfield umpire. India did not take the DRS as well. 

Edge? No edge?
Out? Not out?#AUSvIND #INDvAUS pic.twitter.com/EHMxqHX5XK

— Koushik Biswas (@kbofficial25) December 15, 2024

Mohammed Siraj left the field with hamstring pain. Worries for India?

Steve Smith was caught on the crease by a bit fullish ball from Mohammed Siraj. Smith let it go and the ball came back in to hit the front pad. 

On field call was Not Out and Rohit Sharma went upstairs to check. The DRS went in favour of Steve Smith and Australia. 

Australia 75/3; Smith 18 from 46.

A big, big, wicket for India. Nitish Kumar Reddy gets Marnus Labuschagne. 

A fullish-length ball that had lured Marnus to go for the drive. But, the ball had moved enough to get the outside edge and Virat Kohli was there to take the flying edge.

A crucial wicket for India. 

Marnus goes for 12 (55). Australia 75/3.

Mohammed Siraj tries to do a Stuart Board and changes the bails on the batter's end. As Siraj turned around and started going back to his bowling line, Marnus changed the bails again. 

A bit of banter? Mind tricks? Superstitions? 

 

 

 

 

 

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Both Bumrah and Akash Deep did not give Australians to run away with the game. With their first spell ending, Mohammed Siraj and Nitish Kumar Reddy will look to be tight and build on the momentum Bumrah and Akash had built. 

Siraj was top-class with his maiden over against Marnus and nearly got him out with an LBW shout as well. NKR needs to back him now. 

Bumrah bowling to Labuschagne this series #AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/64bYey06r3

— Wasim Jaffer (@WasimJaffer14) December 15, 2024

In three tests of the series, Steve Smith has there different stances!

Freak!

In Perth, he was starting around outside off-stump. In Adelaide, he changed it to the middle stump and now in Brisbane, he has been starting from leg stump.

Image: Disney+Hotstar.#AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/8w2yxAkfQt

— Koushik Biswas (@kbofficial25) December 15, 2024

Akash Deep has bowled well since the start of the morning but he needs to be fullish to get the edge. Predominantly he has been a bit short and both Marnus and Smith have been able to leave the ball easily. 

This time, he had Smith come forward and had the edge as well. But, it went to the third-man area and Australia get their fifty. 

Bumrah does it again. On a hard length, coming in from an angle, from wide of the crease gets the outside of McSweeney. It is an easy catch for Virat Kohli in the second slip and India get their second of the morning. 

Nathan McSweeney goes for 9 from 49 balls. 

Australia 38/2. 

Jasprit Bumrah gets Usman Khawaja. In his first over of the day he had set him up beautifully with the ball missing the edge quite a few times and thudding on the pads once. This time, the ball had come in creating an angle and straightened just a bit to get the edge.

Rishabh Pant takes the 150th catch of his test career. Usman goes for 21 from 54 balls. 

Australia 31/1 after 16.1 overs.

Finally, Akash Deep resumes his over. Straightaway he finds the line and length and Nathan McSweeney lets it go. 

We are ready to start early on Day 2 to make up for yesterday's lost time due to rain. Only 13.2 overs were bowled on Day 1 before rain halted the game and became so heavy that no more balls were bowled. 

Indian bowlers took time to find their line and length. It will be interesting to see how they start today. There was no rain yesterday night in Brisbane, and hopefully, we will have a full day of play today.

Rain became the villain as there were no more balls played during Day 1’s play! 

Australia 28/0 after 13.2 and we will resume updates tomorrow morning!

The second session of Day 1 gets washed out as no balls were bowled during lunch period. 

Tea has been taken. 

As per a few reports from Brisbane, the roads outside the ground has become a “river”. 

Surely, with the rain we had, there will be no game played before tea. 

Frustrating for the players and the fans!

The umpires have decided to take an early lunch due to rain. 

The drizzle halted the game again as Australian openers tried to go slow and steady while Indian bowlers waited for the early mistake from the batters. Jasprit Bumrah was on target with his line and length as he went for only 8/0 in 6 overs including 3 maidens in his first spell. 

Akash Deep, who is playing his first test of the series, replaced Mohammed Siraj in bowling and looked good too. He hit McSweeney quite a few times on the pad, but maybe he needs to push the length a bit front to get things going for him. Akash Deep bowled two maidens in 3 overs and went for only 2.

Siraj came back from the end Bumrah was bowling and bowled a maiden as well.

Khawaja 19 from 47 and McSweeney 4 from 33 are batting at the moment for Australia as the groundsmen ran in hard to cover the pitches. 

It is dark at the moment and we will have to wait till the sky gets clear and the rain stops.

The rain has halted the game. India would be disappointed to be unable to take the advantage of early moisture of the pitch. As the batters head out of the ground, we see Morne Morkel having a word with Rohit Sharma.

Only one delivery from the 33 balls would have hit the stumps and Morne, the bowling coach might have been conveying the same thing to the captain. 

Usman 13 (22), McSweeney 2 (11); Siraj 9/0; Bumrah 6/1.

We will be back once the game resumes. 

HANG ON! 

It has been a good, steady start for Aussie openers. A few down the leg side from Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj and Usman Khawaja was ready to pounce on them. 

Bumrah started from over the wicket and then changed to around the wicket for Usman and trying to be around that off-stump, creating an angle. However, he has erred in line a few times. Meantime, Siraj has been good except for once when he tried to go short against the southpaw and Usman pulled it for the first boundary of the match. 

McSweeney played out a few dot balls and took his time to settle in. 

A fit Josh Hazlewood replaced Scot Boland for Australia. The rest of the playing XI remained the same for the home team.

Akash Deep and Ravindra Jadeja replaced Harshit Rana and Ravichandran Ashwin for India in the playing XI. 

Australia (Playing XI): Usman Khawaja, Nathan McSweeney, Marnus Labuschagne, Steven Smith, Travis Head, Mitchell Marsh, Alex Carey(w), Pat Cummins(c), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood

Rohit Sharma, the Indian captain team won the toss and decided to bowl first.

Rohit: "We're going to bowl first. Little bit overcast and little bit of grass, looks a bit soft as well, want to make best use of the conditions. Lot of cricket to be played, both teams have played good cricket in the last two games. Big game for us here, we'll do what is expected of us. We'll play good cricket, we understand we have to capture some moments, we didn't do that in the previous game which is why we lost."

Cummins: "We would've bowled first too. Been a fantastic series so far. Really happy with last week, just about everyone got into the series, been a good lead-up. Preperations have been pretty good. Early finish in Adelaide allowed us to come up here early and get settled. Just one change, Scott Boland is out for Hazlewood."

Matches: 7

Australia: 5

Draw: 1

India: 1

• Toss on Day 1 at 5:20 am IST
• Start of Play: 5:50 am IST
• First session: 5:50 am IST to 7:50 am IST
• Lunch break: 7:50 am IST to 8:30 am IST
• Second session: 8:30 am IST to 10:30 am IST
• Tea break: 10:30 am IST to 10:50 am IST
• Final session: 10:50 am IST to 12:50 pm IST

Match: Australia vs India

Date: 14 Dec 2024 - 18 Dec 2024

Time: 6 am IST

Venue: Gabba, Brisbane