Delve into the action of Day 2 at the Gabba Test, showcasing Head and Smith’s brilliance alongside Bumrah’s inspiring resurgence on the field.
Introduction:
Centuries from Travis Head and Steven Smith have put Australia firmly in control on the second day of the third Border-Gavaskar Test on a briskly moving day here at the Gabba. The duo’s 241-run fourth-wicket partnership, coupled with Jasprit Bumrah’s five-wicket haul ensured a day of riveting cricket that tilted heavily in favour of the hosts. India was spiritedly bowling in patches but ended the day in a dominant position with Australia at 405 for 7, laying the foundations to dictate the match.
See also: Rain the Real Winner on Day 1: Test Cricket at the Gabba
Heroics by Bumrah keep India in the contest
Jasprit Bumrah was the pick of the Indian bowlers, taking five of the seven Australian wickets that fell. His brilliance, particularly with the second new ball, kept India’s hopes alive. Bumrah’s haul took his Test wicket tally in Australia to 49, putting him just behind Kapil Dev (51) in the list of Indian bowlers.
Bumrah began the day spot on, with an unplayable six-over morning spell. He earned the early wickets of Usman Khawaja and Nathan McSweeney as the edges were caused by precise seam movement. The deviation of just enough was so good that Bumrah was almost unplayable in the morning session.
See also: Jasprit Bumrah’s Heroic 6/76 Overshadowed as India Crumbles at the Gabba
Head and Smith’s Masterclass
Travis Head and Steven Smith reversed the Australian trend with their 241-run stand. They negotiated some very testing phases before turning aggressive. Travis Head was particularly savage as he countered India’s attempt to bowl a tight top-of-off line by coming down the wicket and taking his trademark square cuts and ramps over the slips. India’s short-pitched bowling to cramp him proved futile as Head continued to find room to free his hands.
Meanwhile, Smith battled through a testing start. His first fifty took 128 balls, with India’s Akash Deep often troubling him in the corridor. But once he settled, Smith’s fluency returned, and his second fifty came in just 57 balls. By the time Bumrah dismissed him with the second new ball, Smith had put Australia in a commanding position.
India’s Bowling Struggles Beyond the Main Quicks
As of the end of the day, while Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj gave moments of hope to India, the lack of depth was evident in their bowling arsenal as the day went along. Akash Deep was impressive, forcing 45 false shots—almost matching Bumrah’s 46 for the day—but went without wicket. Nitish Kumar Reddy and Ravindra Jadeja, deployed as the fourth and fifth bowlers, did not threaten enough, conceding 141 runs in 29 overs between them.
The problem was most apparent in the post-tea session, when India, with an old ball in hand, had to rely on Reddy and Jadeja to begin the session. Australia took advantage, scoring 63 runs in 10 overs, with Smith and Head capitalizing on loose deliveries.
Bumrah Strikes with the Second New Ball
The second new ball brought a temporary reprieve for India as Bumrah once again displayed his class. In the span of 12 balls, he dismissed Smith, Mitchell Marsh, and Head with balls that came in to the perfect length, getting the batsmen to make mistakes. Smith was dismissed by an expansive drive, while Marsh and Head edged balls that just enough seamed away to catch the edge.
Even with Bumrah at his best, India could not maintain pressure from both ends to allow Australia to take a big lead by stumps.
Tactical Problems of India
One of the key talking points of the day was India’s inability to come up with an answer to Travis Head’s aggressive approach. How he exploited anything short or wide exposed India’s bowling limitations. And absence of a reliable fourth or fifth bowler left the team vulnerable at critical phases when main quicks needed rest.
The decision to start the final session with Reddy and Jadeja, saving Bumrah and Siraj for the second new ball, was a tactical gamble that backfired as Australia seized the initiative.
What’s Next
The challenge now would be on India to strike quickly on the third day as Australia already had crossed the 400-run mark and time lost to rain on the first day. If 50-70 runs can come off Australia’s tail, then it will become really tricky for India, who need their batters to make a strong response on a Gabba pitch that has started showing signs of variable bounce.
For Australia, the challenge will be to press home the advantage, knowing that the weather could yet play a role. With runs on the board and a potent bowling attack, they are better placed going into this next phase of this crucial Test.