India are set to face Australia for a third Test of the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy at Gabba Stadium in Brisbane starting on December 14. The five-match series is currently levelled at 1-1 with three matches to go. The upcoming match will be crucial for both the teams with the 2025 World Test Championship final at stake. With three days ahead of the third Test, the Gabba pitch curator hinted that the pitch will have more pace and bounce.
Ahead of the third BGT Test, Brisbane pitch curator David Sandurski spoke to the media and revealed that the Gabba doesn’t have the same properties at the start and end of the season. Sandurski said that there were ‘legitimate differences’ between the fresher and the tired wickets at Gabba.
Different times of year definitely makes it different: David Sandurski on Gabba pitch
When India last played a Test at Gabba, they registered a famous win to clinch the 2020-21 Border-Gavaskar Trophy by 2-1. Now, India will aim to repeat the same kind of performance this time to take a lead of 2-1 in a five-match series down under. Before the third Test, pitch curator David Sandurski said that they haven’t done anything extra to make the wicket more suitable for the fast bowlers.
“Different times of year definitely makes it different, it can be a slightly different pitch,” David Sandurskiwas quoted as saying by India Today. “Pitches later in the season might have a bit more wear and tear while ones early in the season usually are a bit fresher and might have a bit more in them,” he further said.
“Generally speaking we still prepare the pitch the exact same way every time to try and get the same good carry, pace and bounce that the Gabba is known for. We are just trying to make a traditional Gabba wicket like we do each year,” the Gabba pitch curator concluded.
