3rd Test: Early lunch taken due to searing rain after Australia reach 28/0 in 13.2 overs

Brisbane, Dec 14 (IANS) Early lunch has been taken on day one of the third Border-Gavaskar Trophy Test at the Gabba on Saturday due to searing rain. It meant only 13.2 overs were bowled by India in the opening session, as Australia reached 28/0, with Usman Khawaja and Nathan McSweeney unbeaten on 19 and 4 respectively.

With a lot of puddles forming on the outfield already, it could turn out to be a longish break in the proceedings, as per the weather forecast. In the morning, with dark clouds looming, India elected to bowl first, with Ravindra Jadeja and Akash Deep coming in for Ravichandran Ashwin and Harshit Rana respectively.

As dim sunshine came out and section of sparse crowd in fancy dress took its place, Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj spent time searching for the right lines and lengths to bowl on a pitch which didn’t offer a great deal of seam movement.

Khawaja took advantage of it when Siraj, who faced boos from the Brisbane crowd, bowled a rank short ball and was easily pulled through mid-wicket for four more. The first rain interruption of the session came in 5.3 overs, and caused players to go off the field for 30 minutes.

Post interruption, India’s bowlers tried shaking up things by bowling fuller, with Siraj and Akash Deep getting some movement. But Khawaja and McSweeney continued to hold fort, with the former easily flicking Bumrah for four and heaving Siraj over square leg, before rain came in to force early stop in the proceedings, which can pave the way for a stop-start day of Test cricket.

Brief Scores: Australia 28/0 in 13.2 overs (Usman Khawaja 19 not out, Nathan McSweeney 4 not out) against India