In a surprising move, Rohit Sharma opted to bowl first after winning the toss in the crucial third Test of the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 against Australia at The Gabba in Brisbane.
The Indian skipper’s decision might have been influenced by overcast skies and a pitch with visible moisture, but the call left many stunned as it was against the usual trend in Test cricket.
Parthiv Patel analyzes Rohit Sharma’s surprising decision to bowl first at the Gabba
Reacting to Rohit Sharma’s bold move, the former Indian wicketkeeper-batter Parthiv Patel said that India’s decision to bat first at the Gabba after winning the toss was against the usual trend of teams opting to bat first, regardless of the conditions.
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He mentioned that the teams traditionally prefer to bat first regardless of conditions in Brisbane, as batting in the fourth or fifth innings can be a daunting task, with pitches typically deteriorating and favoring bowlers. Reports from the Indian camp hinted that the surface was damp enough for spikes to sink in, and that’s why they would love to bowl first at The Gabba.
However, Parthiv has suggested that as the game progresses, the surface could quicken up, making it easier to score, just like in the Perth Test, so it was a surprising call for him that the Rohit Sharma-led Indian team opted to bowl first.
It was surprising that India decided to bowl first: Parthiv Patel
Parthiv Patel said on Cricbuzz: “I think the decision was based on the overcast conditions and the moisture in the pitch. We also heard from Rishabh Pant and Rohit Sharma that the spikes were going in. There was a lot of moisture. But if we look at the decision, it is against the trend.
Most of the teams, no matter what the conditions are, prefer to bat first because it is difficult to bat in the 4th or 5th inning. Also, if the pitch is slow due to the moisture, the batter gets a little time to adjust to the sea movement. And as the game is played, the pitch gets faster, which we also saw in Perth. So, it was surprising that India decided to bowl first.”
Meanwhile, India made significant changes to their playing XI for the ongoing third Test at the Gabba, bringing in Ravindra Jadeja and Akash Deep in place of Ravichandran Ashwin and Harshit Rana. These changes came after India’s crushing defeat in the second Test against Australia in Adelaide.
Parthiv Patel weighs in on India’s key changes to Playing XI for the Gabba Test
Speaking on the changes, the former Indian wicketkeeper-batter said that Akash Deep’s inclusion was expected, considering his solid performances in domestic cricket, which made him a deserving choice to replace Harshit Rana for the crucial third Test against Australia.
Patel further noted that Ravindra Jadeja’s return to the playing XI strikes a balance for the Indian cricket team, offering control with his spin and versatility as an all-rounder.
The commentator believes that Jadeja was selected to manage the flow of runs and provide stability in the batting order, especially against Australia’s left-handed middle-order batters like Travis Head and Alex Carey.
Parthiv Patel signed off by saying, “Obviously, Akash Deep was on the expected lines. You knew that Akash Deep would come in place of Harshit Rana. He has played well in India. So, he deserves to get a chance to play in such conditions. And Ravindra Jadeja’s decision seems like India is trying to control the game. Although there will be two lefties, Travis Head and Alex Carey. So, I think India is trying to slow down the game. To control the run rate. And for the top order batting, I think Ravindra Jadeja has been included as a cushion.