Brisbane Cricket Ground Vs Adelaide Oval Comparison: Can India Win 3rd BGT Test?

Debashis Sarangi

India lost the 2nd Test vs Australia [Source: AP]India lost the 2nd Test vs Australia [Source: AP]

India had a disastrous outing in the second Test against Australia in Adelaide, as the hosts swatted them aside by ten wickets in a one-sided affair. Led by Rohit Sharma, the visitors had a forgettable time in the pink-ball Test, with Australia restoring parity with a thumping win. 

This was India's second consecutive defeat in a day-night Test in Adelaide. They were crushed by the Aussies the last time when they played a pink-ball match at this venue. However, having said that, India have a chance to change their BGT fortunes in the upcoming Test at the Gabba in Brisbane, as the playing conditions will be significantly different from those in Adelaide. 

How Is Brisbane Cricket Ground Different From Adelaide Oval?

Several factors make Brisbane Cricket Ground different from the Adelaide Oval, as mentioned below. 

More pace, more steep bounce

  • The surface at Brisbane Cricket Ground offers more pace and carry than the fast bowlers generally get at the Adelaide Oval. 
  • As the ball bounces more in Brisbane, the pacers tend to shorten their length instead of going fuller, which they do in the pink-ball Test in Adelaide. 

Bigger Boundary Dimensions

  • The Brisbane Cricket Ground has bigger boundary dimensions than the Adelaide Oval. In Adelaide, it's easier to collect boundaries, as the ball travels at a rapid rate. However, the outfield is heavier in Brisbane, and hence, strike rotation is more crucial than flamboyant stroke play at this venue. 

Batters Can't Get A Breather In Brisbane Unlike Adelaide

  • The Brisbane Cricket Ground offers enough extra pace, bounce and seam movement throughout the day. So, unlike Adelaide, the batters can't get a sigh of relief at the Gabba.  

Can India Turn Things Around In Brisbane?

  • The pink ball was tailor-made for the Australian pacers, as they are experts in hitting the corridor of uncertainty. But the same can't be said for the Indian bowling unit, as everyone apart from Jasprit Bumrah struggled to find the ideal length in Adelaide. 
  • However, the Brisbane Cricket Ground will allow the Indian pace attack to make experiments. They can shorten their length and trouble the Australian batters with classic hard-length bowling. 
  • The playing conditions in Brisbane might lead to a neck-to-neck face-off for supremacy between the two bowling units, something which was absent in Adelaide. In other words, it will give India a second chance to bounce back even if their batting unit disappoints the visitors once again. 
  • The Australian bowlers won't likely go as full as they went in Adelaide, making the Indian batters more decisive while tackling the fourth-stump line deliveries. Thus, the visiting batters could have a more comfortable stay in the middle at the Gabba. 

Conclusion

Therefore, we reckon India will like Gabba's playing conditions more than what they got in Adelaide. They have succeeded in tackling pace and bounce in the past, and considering their pace battery can evolve its performance in Brisbane, we feel India will put up a better fight in the third Test of BGT 2024.