Matthew Hayden outlines the REASONS why Rohit Sharma was wrong to win the toss and bowl first at the Gabba
Rohit Sharma won the toss at the Gabba and elected to bowl first, citing the overcast conditions and moisture on the wicket as the reasons.
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The Indian captain, Rohit Sharma, won the toss and elected to bowl first on the first day of the third Test match of the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024/25 at the Gabba in Brisbane. The conditions were overcast, and there was some moisture on the wicket. Hence, Sharma wanted to bowl first and make use of the conditions.
Former Australian opener Matthew Hayden feels that it was a wrong decision made by the Indian captain. Hayden said that the pitch will be very good to bat on in the first couple of days. However, the wicket will break in the later half of the Test match and will help the spinners.
So the groundsman would have been thinking, we’ve got to get our preparation in early, and that’s why I thought that it was gonna be as good a batting conditions as you’re gonna see now in these first two days, with the view that it will break up and, and turn.
Matthew Hayden told Star Sports
The decision proved to be a disaster for the Indian team. Australia has emerged as the clear favorite in this Test match. They have already scored 405 runs for the loss of seven wickets. Steve Smith scored his 33rd Test hundred, and Travis Head piled on more misery for the Indian bowlers with an innings of 152 runs off 160 deliveries.
Jasprit Bumrah was the lone warrior for India with a five-wicket haul. Mohammed Siraj and Nitish Kumar Reddy picked up one wicket each.
Matthew Hayden also talked about the help that the spinners will get off the wicket on Day 4 and 5 of the Test match
Hayden explained that spinners have been very successful in the latter half of the Test match at this venue. He feels that if the weather remains clear, the cracks could open up in the latter half of the Test match and spinners could get a substantial turn from them. The former Australian opener stressed the fact that the pitch will be slow at the start of the Test match due to the weather conditions and will quicken up as the game progresses.
And we’ve seen some great performances from spinners across the world at this venue and, If we do get decent weather, and that’s the fingers crossed at best because of the reasons I just mentioned, there are cracks in the wicket. Yeah, we just had days off, and in fact, one month of rain.
Matthew Hayden said
India will need a solid batting performance in the first innings as they have their backs against the wall with the score that Australia has already amassed. However, the weather forecast does not look favorable for the remaining days of the Test match.
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