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More than Indian versus Australians, some smaller battles have defined the BGT 2024-25 so far. The same might continue in Gabba.
Travis Head vs Mohammed Siraj would be a battle-to-watch in Gabba.
Given how many players on either side have been suffering bad form, the 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy has been less about India going head-to-head against Australia and more about smaller duels within the Tests.
Jasprit Bumrah taking out Steve Smith for a golden duck in Perth was crucially decisive, and so was Yashasvi Jaiswal shutting down Mitchell Starc. In Adelaide, Starc’s first-ball wicket of Jaiswal changed the feel of the series. Later in the day, Shubman Gill looked in sublime touch before getting out to Scott Boland for the third time in three innings.
As the series heats up, the importance of each battle would grow, too. The ‘Gabba’ in Brisbane hasn’t seen a draw since 2012 and below, we have listed three battles that might define which team takes the win this time and goes 2-1 up in the rubber:
#3 Shubman Gill vs Mitchell Starc
Remember ‘Gabba’ 2021? India had come to the Test after a valiant defensive effort in Sydney to draw the series 2-2. But not many Indian supporters had high hopes for the decider, especially because Australia hadn’t lost a Test in Gabba in 32 years.
The hopes dwindled further when Australia set a target of 328 in the final innings. But that’s where Shubman Gill came in, announcing himself on the international stage.
The right-hander, opening the batting with Rohit Sharma that day, switched India’s intent from ultra-defensive to attacking and dynamic. The youngster first played out Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood’s new-ball spells and then smashed Starc all around the park.
Gill hit four boundaries and two sixes against the left-arm quick, overall scoring 45 (36) in the duel. He got out for 91 but his special knock had already the foundation of a historic win.
Overall, too Gill has had the edge over Starc in Tests. In seven innings, he has scored 162 runs against the Aussie at a jaw-dropping strike rate of 91.5. The second essay in Adelaide was only the first time Gill got out to Starc but not before scoring 28 runs in 32 balls.
Starc would want his ‘Gabba’ revenge after a Player of the Match performance in Adelaide while India would hope that Gill, now batting one-down, would hurt his confidence again.
#2 Steve Smith vs Bumrah
This battle has so far gone only India’s way, with two wickets in three innings for Bumrah. This means the Indian quick has now gotten Smith out three times in six matches, and the batter’s average has fallen to a miserly 19.3.
However, if there’s one venue where Smith would back himself to jump into good form, it’s the ‘Gabba’. In 10 matches against six different opponents here, he has scored 821 runs, including three centuries and three fifties, at an average of 54.73.
He scored a brilliant half-century against India in the 2021 Test and more recently, an unbeaten 91 versus the West Indies at the ‘Gabba’ in January. If Australian captain Pat Cummis is to be believed, Smith has been in good touch in the nets, batting like “he has got plenty of time”.
Bumrah was injured in the 2021 Test and has never played at the venue but, like Perth, the bouncy track should suit his bowling. An out-of-form batter at one of his favorite grounds going against an in-form superstar bowler at a ground he has never played in should make for a popcorn-worthy battle.
#1 Mohammed Siraj vs Travis Head
This is a battle that took so much limelight in the Adelaide Test that all analysis and chatter about the rest of the Test took a backseat. Most people put their focus on the small sledging incident, Siraj was made a ‘villain’ in Australia, while Head was already one in India. It would’ve carried on further had the two players not doused the fire in the final moments.
But Siraj vs Head is much more than a sledging incident. Just like in Adelaide, it has always been a brilliant duel. Siraj has take the left-hander’s wicket thrice in five Tests but the Australian has also managed to score 120 runs at a strike rate of nearly 90.
In contrast to Smith, Head’s numbers at the Gabba are poor — he’s coming off three consecutive ducks at this venue — while Siraj took his first Test five-wicket haul here and would be booming with inspiration. The pacer has copped criticism for his inconsistency in recent times and would know there can’t be a better moment to put those to bed.
Head’s batting position puts him in a more direct contest with India’s second and third pacers than Bumrah, which makes Siraj’s performance that much more important for India. He won’t mind being hit for a couple of boundaries if he can get Head out cheaply but if the South Australian comes out on top again, India might find themselves behind the eight ball.
