Pressure mounts on Cricket Australia to bring India to Gabba
Australia is looking to extend its unbeaten Gabba streak to 31 years on a pitch Shane Warne reckons is the ‘best in the world’. But it could put Cricket Australia in a tricky position next year.
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Player power is likely to deliver Brisbane the first Test against India next summer in a big win over subcontinental politics.
Virat Kohli’s men not only refused to play a day-night Test 12 months ago, but they flexed their muscle to avoid starting their tour at Australia’s stronghold the Gabba.
However, when India return for four Test matches this time next year as part of the new Test Championship, it appears as though Australia may get the schedule they desire by ticking the two key boxes of a series-opener in Brisbane and a pink ball Test in Adelaide.
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Upgraded facilities around the country has made competition fierce for marquee Test matches, and on that front Brisbane has been left behind, but Australian players have made their fondness for the Gabba known to CA officials.
Australia has not lost at the Gabba in more than 30 years, partly because touring teams find it a daunting place to starton.
Conscious of this, India negotiated cushier conditions to start on in Adelaide last summer, and took full advantage to registera 1-0 series lead.
And the Gabba has found an ally in Warne, the Australian spin king who loved bowling on the bouncy green-tinged Brisbane wicket.
“I think this is the best cricket pitch anywhere in the world,” Warne said on Fox Cricket.
“I think there is a bit in early for the seamers, it then gets a bit quicker and flattens out a bit, it’s good for batting and spins big and the bounce, a nice even cover of grass, a bit of a green tinge to it, a few little cracks.
“All in all it’s a terrific pitch I thought.”
The only other time in recent memory when Australia shifted a first Test away from Brisbane, they were ambushed in Perth by South Africa.
Cricket Australia are still a while away from finalising next year’s schedule, but the strong feeling at this stage is the Gabba is favoured to be reinstated as the first Test against India, although that would likely be preceded by Perth hosting a one-off Test against Afghanistan at the WACA.
That would be a major relegation for Perth given the brand spanking new Optus Stadium, and potentially broadcasters who likethe late start on the west coast.
Australia are being forced to abandon home soil in mid-January this summer to play three one-dayers in India, but the Cricket Australia board are confident relations with India are in a good place.
Originally published as Pressure mounts on Cricket Australia to bring India to Gabba