Robert Craddock: The Gabba’s decline laid bare as Test pushed to end of the summer

The Gabba will host a day-night Test this summer in a schedule announcement which shows just how far Brisbane’s best ground has slipped down the pecking order, writes Robert Craddock.

Bring in the bulldozers. Dial up the dump trucks. Position the pavers.

The multi-billion dollar redevelopment of the Gabba for the 2032 Olympics cannot come quickly enough after the venue’s declining status was laid bare in the new Test cricket schedule.

As revealed by Code Sports, the Gabba will host its first day-night Test in five years against the modest West Indian team in late January.

The result is a two-fold disappointment for Brisbane fans who miss out on the first Test of the summer and also one of three Tests against the more highly fancied Pakistan team who will play in Perth, Melbourne and Sydney.

To make matters worse for local officials, the Test may not be held in school holidays which reduces its already underwhelming drawing power despite perhaps including Australia Day.

The Olympic redevelopment, likely to start after the next home Ashes series in 2025-26, will keep the Gabba out of play as a Test venue for four years but the wait will be worthwhile.

Mitchell Starc celebrates a wicket in last year’s Gabba Test. Picture: Albert Perez/Getty Images

The famous yet fading Gabba has clearly slid to being the fifth best Test venue in the country behind the sublime Adelaide Oval, the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground, the historic if slightly dated Sydney Cricket Ground and Perth’s sterile but modern and fan friendly Optus Stadium.

With Test series likely to get shorter and many countries starting to lose interest in the five day game the gap between the best and worst Tests of the summer is likely to grow.

The challenge is on for Brisbane to stay in the top three or four choices and it can only do that by being properly redeveloped into a world-class facility.

The Gabba recently underwent a $35 million makeover but Adelaide and Perth have spent that plus plenty and have duly been rewarded.

They are the key rivals for Brisbane. Melbourne and Sydney have the biggest populations are anchored in to the same time slots each year and remain untouchable.

The Gabba has hosted two pink ball Tests – in December 2016 against Pakistan and 2019 against Sri Lanka.

There are upsides to the schedule for Brisbane. A day-night Test suits its climate. And there have been seasons when being the first Test of the summer has its drawbacks because people are often not thinking cricket when it arrives.

And being the last Test of the summer against a poor West Indies side should at least ensure there are no traffic jams on the Story Bridge.

Originally published as Robert Craddock: The Gabba’s decline laid bare as Test pushed to end of the summer