BGT: India, Australia Continue tussle for supremacy at Gabba

Indians look to bounce back from Adelaide defeat while hosts eye series lead

- TRIDIB BAPARNASH

The Border-Gavaskar series is tantalisingly poised at 1-1 with both India and Australia having shown the promise and flaws to head into the fabled Gabba for the third Test, starting in Brisbane from Saturday. Both sides will have one eye on the ICC World Test Championship table, which has witnessed massive swings after South Africa vaulted to the top, dethroning Australia after a day's stay, and pushing India to the third place following the Adelaide loss.

For Rohit Sharma & Co, the remaining three Tests, including the one starting Saturday, holds greater significance to stay alive in the race to the WTC final at the Lord's in June, 2025. Australia, on the other hand, have another two-Test series against Sri Lanka to capitalise in case they lose the ongoing BGT.

Having said that, the Aussies will be desperately hoping to turn around their recent record at the iconic venue where they lost two of their last four matches. One of those losses came in the form of a three-wicket defeat to India during the previous tour in 2020-21, and the recent one came at the start of 2024 against a spirited West Indian side.