India vs Australia Highlights, 3rd Test Day 1 Border Gavaskar Trophy: Rain forces early stumps at Gabba; Australia 28/0

Persistent rain made a big impact on the opening day of the third Test match between India and Australia at the Gabba in Brisbane. Only 13.2 overs were possible on Saturday.

Australia finished the day at 28 without loss, with Usman Khawaja on 19 and Nathan McSweeney on 4. The umpires were forced to call off play for the day during the final session due to the persistent rain.

India's captain, Rohit Sharma, won the toss and chose to field. He hoped the overcast conditions and the grassy pitch would favour his pace bowlers.

Heavy rain in Brisbane affected most of the opening day of the third Test between Australia and India at The Gabba on Saturday, with Australia 28/0. Only 13.2 overs were bowled before lunch, and no play was possible for the two sessions.

At one point, the outfield looked like a lake, but as the rain lightened, the water drained quickly, leaving just a few damp spots. Still, rain continued throughout the second session as a large band moved slowly over the greater Brisbane area.

Usman Khawaja was unbeaten on 19, while Nathan McSweeney had four runs after India captain Rohit Sharma won the toss and opted to field.

Finally! Rain has the final say today. Play has been called off for the day due to rain.

Play will resume tomorrow and all following days at 09:50am local time (5:20am IST) with minimum 98 overs to be bowled.

Umpires are having a chat with the ground staff. No official cut-off time yet, but the situation in Brisbane is not good.

Umpires are going to dressing rooms of the teams after their conversation with ground staff. We can expect some official words soon.

The situation remains the same at the Gabba. Rain continues to fall in Brisbane, and chances of any further play has started to look bleak.

The current forecast says it will rain for at least 60 more minutes. Another negative update from Gabba.

It was a frustrating morning of waiting in Brisbane as heavy downpour allowed very little cricket on the opening day of the third India-Australia Test in Brisbane. Only 13.2 overs were bowled and the fans got their umbrellas out, put the raincoats on but held on to their beer and enjoyed their Saturday morning, even if it was without any cricket.

With the players rushing indoors, the gentleman on the live grill was aggressively dishing out the sausages to the thousands who had come for a big fat party!

Amid all this, former Australia cricketer Matthew Hayden's daughter was casually strolling in the corridor with very little cricket a dampener for her too. The 22-year-old, however, was still up for a chat on cricket and touched upon her love for India, the food and the spices.

Players and officials remain on standby as persistent rain delays play on Day 1 of the third Test between India and Australia at the Gabba. Umpire Richard Kettleborough was seen near the turnstiles, but no pitch inspection will occur until the rain stops entirely.

While the forecast for the next couple of days looks favourable, rain is expected to make a return on Days 4 and 5, potentially affecting the outcome of this crucial Test in the tied five-match series. Both teams will be hoping for clear skies to resume play.

It's still light drizzle in Brisbane. So, the start of the third and final session of the day has been delayed due to rain.

The waiting games continue at the Gabba. Only 13.2 overs were bowled so far on the opening day of this crucial third Test. All those overs were bowled in the rain-interrupted first session, and the entire second session was washed out due to persistent rain.

Some positive updates from the Gabba. The rain has turned to very light drizzle. Some Indian support staff members are out near the boundary edge.

When Rohit Sharma won the toss and chose to bowl against Australia in the third Test at the Gabba in Brisbane of the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy, he became the second Indian captain to do so after Sourav Ganguly.

Sourav Ganguly had also asked Australia to bat first and it came at the same venue during the 2003/04 tour.

And like always, the then Indian captain was put under tremendous pressure by the Aussies. And now, Rohit is also under tremendous pressure as he is going through a lean patch with the bat.

Rohit is woefully out of form and has gone above 20 runs just twice in his past 12 Test innings with only one half-century, and eight single-digit scores.

With scores of 3 and 6, the experiment of Rohit batting at No. 6 failed miserably in the pink-ball Test at Adelaide.

The entire second session at the Gabba is washed out due to rain. The situation remains grim in Brisbane as drizzle continues non-stop.

Australia 28/0 after 13.2 overs

With less than 10 minutes to scheduled tea time and rain still continuing, the second session is now fully washed out. The rain is not heavy but it's pouring constantly, so the chance of action today is diminishing with every minute that passes by.

Mohammed Siraj continued to face hostility from the crowds in Australia as he was booed at the Gabba on Saturday when he came on to bowl in the third Test of the Border Gavaskar Trophy.

Siraj's aggressive show during two separate incidents in the pink-ball Test at Adelaide made him a villain for the Australian fans, who jeered him on multiple occasions during the second match of the five-Test series.

While he threw the ball at the stumps after Marnus Labuschagne pulled out at the last second as a man walked past the sight-screen carrying a huge pile of beer mugs, Siraj later gave centurion Travis Head a send-off after dismissing him.

No respite from rain at the Gabba. It's not very heavy, but the pouring is constant. So, no action from groundstaff too as the waiting games continue in Brisbane.

The big question now is -- will there be any action today?

The overcast and rainy conditions in Brisbane might have made the decision to bowl first an obvious one, which is what India captain Rohit Sharma did after winning the toss in the third Test against Australia, but the first few overs had a story to tell.

Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj kept searching for the swing that the conditions promised, only to find none present as the Australian openers -- Nathan McSweeney and Usman Khawaja -- didn't face any trouble in negotiating the threat with the new ball until rain made its first interruption on Saturday morning at The Gabba.

Live visuals show promise as the rain has eased up a bit. But it has not fully stopped yet. It's still raining and a bit more than a drizzle for sure. The wait will continue at the Gabba.

Since the outfield has good facilities to dry up the accumulated water, it should be ready in quick time as soon as the rain subsided completely. But at the moment, it's more wait as rain continues.

Rishabh Pant etched his name in cricketing folklore with his remarkable innings during India's historic triumph at the Gabba in January 2021. Chasing a daunting target of 328 runs on a deteriorating pitch against a formidable Australian bowling attack, Pant's unbeaten 89 off 138 balls showcased his audacious stroke play, fearless temperament, and uncanny ability to thrive under pressure.

Pant, batting at number five, arrived with the game delicately poised. His counter-attacking approach against the likes of Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, and Nathan Lyon turned the tide in India's favour.

From reverse-sweeping Lyon to punching Cummins through the off-side, Pant's innings was a masterclass in calculated aggression.

It's still raining in Brisbane. So, the start of the post-lunch session is officially delayed due to rain at the Gabba.

Australia 28/0 in 13.2 overs

Australian openers Usman Khawaja and Nathan McSweeney successfully navigated a rain-interrupted first session of the third Test against India at a wet Gabba in Brisbane on Saturday.

After India captain Rohit Sharma won the toss and elected to field, Khawaja (19*) and McSweeney (4*) guided Australia to 28 without loss in 13.2 overs before rain halted play twice. The first interruption occurred in the sixth over, delaying play for about 30 minutes. Showers returned soon after and continued until the scheduled lunch break.

India made two changes to their XI, bringing in Ravindra Jadeja and Akash Deep for Harshit Rana and Ravichandran Ashwin. Australia’s sole change saw Josh Hazlewood return from a side strain, replacing Scott Boland.

The series is tied 1-1, with India winning the opener in Perth by 295 runs and Australia bouncing back in Adelaide with a dominant 10-wicket victory. Intermittent rain is forecast for the day, potentially affecting the course of this crucial Test.

Lunch has been taken at the Gabba on original time, due to the second rain interruption. After the first rain break, the official had decided to delay the break by 30 minutes but the second rain break changed that too. Since the play is already on break, the officials have decided to take lunch on time to keep the other sessions' timings unchanged.

The rain forecast for the next one hour or so is not good, so a timely start of the second session is doubtful too.

Only 13.2 overs were bowled in the first session of the opening day. Australia are steady at 28 for no loss.

The covers are on the pitch now. It's going to be a busy day for the groundstaff at the Gabba. The forecast for rain was not good for the first four days in Brisbane and it has proven right so far. Two rain disturbances in the first session of the opening day itself.

The outfield remains uncovered as the drainage system is world class here.

Australia 28/0 in 13.2 overs (Usman Khawaja 19* & Nathan McSweeney 4*)

Another maiden over from Akash Deep, his second of the spell. Nathan McSweeney (4*) is finding it tough to score in the middle, as he has already consumed 31 deliveries for his four runs so far.

Change of ends for Mohammed Siraj, who comes back into the attack.

Australia 28/0 after 12 overs

Two singles off Akash Deep's over. The pacer started with a maiden before this one. Solid, steady start for Australia despite the rain interruption. Usman Khawaja (18 not out) looks in good touch today.

Australia 26/0 after 10 overs

Due to the 30 minutes rain break, the session timing has changed a bit.

* First drinks break at 7:30 am IST

* Lunch will be taken at 8:20 am IST

First bowling change for India. Akash Deep, who replaced Harshit Rana in the playing XI, comes into the attack, replacing Mohammed Siraj. Siraj was hit for a four by Usman Khawaja (17*) after the resumption of play.

Australia 24/0 after 7 overs

After almost 30 minutes of rain break, the action at the Gabba is underway. Mohammed Siraj will complete his over. Usman Khawaja on the strike.

Indian cricketers are already on the field. Umpires are coming out too. Virat Kohli was having some catching drills too.

The match will restart in less than two minutes now.

More good news from the Gabba. There are some dark clouds over to one side of the ground but the drizzle has stopped. The covers are coming off and groundstaff are getting the outfield ready for the restart.

Restart at 11:15am local time (6:45am IST).

The umpires are holding umbrellas, suggesting the drizzle is still on. But the ground staff are mostly without umbrellas, so the drizzle must have slowed down. More updates expected soon from the officials. The covers on the pitch is still on and the groundstaffs are standing on the edge of it.

As forecast, the rain has arrived and players are going off the field.

Australia 19/0 in 5.3 overs

Good start for Australia. After bowling five dot balls, Jasprit Bumrah bowls a full delivery to middle-leg line, but Usman Khawaja (13*) was alert. The left-hander guided it towards fine leg his second four of the innings.

Australia 18/0 after 5 overs

BOOM! First boundary off the bat in the match. Usman Khawaja comes with a cracking shot to open his boundary count off Mohammed Siraj. Just a fraction short on middle from the India pacer, Khawaja picked up the length early and hammered it through mid-wicket with a strong pull shot.

Australia 13/0 in 3.4 overs

Usman Khawaja opens his account with a two off Jasprit Bumrah. Nathan McSweeney played six dot balls off Mohammed Siraj in the previous over.

Australia 6/0 after 3 overs

Usman Khawaja and Nathan McSweeney start the Australia innings.

Jasprit Bumrah with the ball for India.

India captain Rohit Sharma won the toss and chose to field against Australia in the third Test of the five-match Border-Gavaskar Trophy series at the Gabba in Brisbane on Saturday. With the series locked at 1-1, the match marks a critical juncture as both teams aim to gain the upper hand.

India made two significant changes to their playing XI, with Akash Deep and Ravindra Jadeja replacing Harshit Rana and Ravichandran Ashwin. For Australia, Josh Hazlewood returned after recovering from a side injury, replacing Scott Boland.

Explaining the rationale behind his decisions, Rohit cited the conditions at the Gabba as a key factor.

"We’re going to bowl first. A little bit overcast and a little bit of grass, looks a bit soft as well, we want to make the best use of the conditions," he said at the toss. "Lots of cricket to be played, both teams have played good cricket in the last two games. Big game for us here, we’ll do what is expected of us."

India Playing XI: Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant (w), Rohit Sharma (c), Ravindra Jadeja, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Akash Deep

Australia Playing XI: Usman Khawaja, Nathan McSweeney, Marnus Labuschagne, Steven Smith, Travis Head, Mitchell Marsh, Alex Carey (w), Pat Cummins (c), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood

"We would've bowled first too. Been a fantastic series so far. Really happy with last week, just about everyone got into the series, been a good lead-up. Preperations have been pretty good. Early finish in Adelaide allowed us to come up here early and get settled. Just one change, Scott Boland is out for Hazlewood." - Australia skipper Pat Cummins

"We're going to bowl first. Little bit overcast and little bit of grass, looks a bit soft as well, want to make best use of the conditions. Lot of cricket to be played, both teams have played good cricket in the last two games. Big game for us here, we'll do what is expected of us. We'll play good cricket, we understand we have to capture some moments, we didn't do that in the previous game which is why we lost. It's absolutely buzzing, the guys are looking forward to the match, we're looking forward to coming out here and playing. Looks a little soft at this point in time, conditions bit overcast as well, it will get better to bat as it goes on. We've made two changes, Jadeja and Akash back in place of Ashwin and Harshit." - India captain Rohit Sharma after winning the toss

India skipper Rohit Sharma wins the toss, opts to bowl against Australia at the Gabba