India has positioned themselves well to potentially secure a draw in the Gabba Test, thanks to an unbeaten last-wicket partnership between Jasprit Bumrah and Akash Deep, which saved them from the follow-on.
With rain expected again on the final day, the match, which has seen only 192 overs over four days, may face further interruptions.
Rain forecasts range between 2mm and 25mm, similar to what was expected on the fourth day when only 58 overs were bowled due to delays. Australia’s Bureau of Meteorology noted, “High chance of showers, mostly in the late morning and afternoon,” with a possibility of severe thunderstorms.
On the last day, 98 overs are scheduled, and Australia will need to maximize their overs if they hope to find a winning result after losing the chance to enforce the follow-on because of Bumrah and Akash Deep’s efforts.
If an entire day of play were to occur, which only happened on the second day when Travis Head and Steven Smith scored centuries, Australia would need to dismiss India’s last wicket quickly and then bat for approximately 20 overs to set a target around 300, depending on how much they wanted to challenge India.
There are no time restrictions on overs on the final day of a Test, but daylight in Brisbane begins to fade around 5:30 PM local time.
Australia is dealing with the absence of Josh Hazlewood, who has a calf injury, so this might impact their strategy if the chance arises. Nathan Lyon may need to shoulder more of the bowling workload, although Daniel Vettori, the assistant coach, noted that the frequent breaks have helped keep the fast bowlers relatively fresh.
“The weather, with the breaks, allowed Mitch and Patty to return multiple times, while a full 90 overs would have been much harder to manage,” he explained.
“Having Nathan and his capacity to bowl many overs provides some relief, but the absence of a world-class bowler is always a challenge.” KL Rahul, who was India’s top scorer with 84, acknowledged that the many stoppages made it tough for everyone involved.
“I think running back and forth from the dressing room wore me out more than actually batting,” he joked. “But it was challenging, not just for us but for them too, having to continue in short bursts before retreating. It was a frustrating day for both sides, but it’s part of the game.”
