Centuries from Travis Head and Steve Smith lit up the Gabba as Australia recovered from 75/3 to close the day at a commanding 405/7. While Head and Smith shone with the bat, Jasprit Bumrah once again stood out for India. The pace spearhead claimed yet another impressive five-wicket haul on Australian soil, sparking a late fightback to keep his team in the contest.
Resuming at 28/0, Australia suffered early setbacks as openers Nathan McSweeney and Usman Khawaja were dismissed cheaply. The pitch, seemingly livelier after yesterday’s rain, posed challenges for the batters, and Bumrah rose to the occasion.
Once again, it was Bumrah who removed both openers. He made both batters play in the corridor of uncertainty around the off-stump, securing the first two breakthroughs for his team. Local boy Marnus Labuschagne, who looked in good touch, had an interesting exchange with Mohammed Siraj, after which the Indian pacer switched the bails. The “bail trick” seemed to work, as Labuschagne was dismissed in the very next over.
However, after that, whatever India tried for the rest of the day didn’t work well for them. Head and Smith joined forces, surviving a few plays and misses but managing to navigate the early phase successfully. Against Bumrah, Head played a beautiful drive through the covers, a shot that got him going. The southpaw then began finding boundaries at regular intervals, forcing Rohit Sharma to spread the field.
Smith, though not at his fluent best initially, cleverly utilised the in-and-out field placements to rotate the strike effectively. At the other end, Head’s assured presence eased the pressure on Smith, allowing him to settle into his innings. Head soon reached his ninth Test century, while Smith, feeding off the momentum, followed with a well-earned half-century. India urgently needed a wicket to tighten the screws and build sustained pressure, but that effort never came to fruition.
The contrast between the two sessions was striking. While the morning session saw runs trickling in at 2.56 runs per over, the afternoon session turned the tide, with Australia scoring at an impressive 4.81 runs per over. India’s bowlers were made to work tirelessly, particularly by their frequent tormentor, Head. Akash Deep managed to keep things relatively tight, but even a class act like Bumrah couldn’t escape Head’s relentless onslaught. Not sure about the Indian bowlers, but Head certainly came prepared to tackle them.
The visitors seemed bereft of answers as their plans unraveled. The seamers struggled with consistency, experimenting with varying lengths and lines, which only disrupted their rhythm. The short-ball strategy against Head lacked adequate planning and precise execution. Similarly, the tactic to attack Smith’s stumps and target him for LBW or bowled proved futile. With little assistance from the pitch, the Indian bowlers found it challenging to create any real impact.
As the new ball loomed, Head and Smith shifted gears in the third session, adopting a more aggressive approach to accelerate the scoring. Smith reached his 33rd Test century in no time after the Tea break. While not his most fluent knock, it was a significant milestone, especially considering his recent struggles in red-ball cricket. The Gabba crowd acknowledged the effort with enthusiastic applause. The new ball brought four wickets, including those of Head and Smith, who had put together a solid 241-run partnership. Alex Carey will resume tomorrow on 45, with Mitchell Starc at the crease.
This late flurry of wickets provided India with a much-needed lifeline, offering a way back into the game after a challenging and morale-sapping afternoon session with the ball.