WHERE ARE WE SO FAR?

A five-match Test series becomes an exciting marathon when each team makes a comeback. It also pumps up the media. After the first Test in Perth, the Australian press started asking questions if their team was aging. When Australia levelled at 1-1 at Adelaide, the Indian media started asking the question if some of their senior players needed to retire. 

After levelling the series 1-1 from behind, Australia find themselves in another make-or-break Test match at the Gabba in Brisbane. The final two Tests will be at Melbourne (the Boxing Day Test) and Sydney (the New Year's Test). India tends to play well at these two venues. If Australia goes down at the Gabba, India will go 2-1 up. And with that, Australia's hope to win the Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) will go. Australia will have to win at the Gabba and go 2-1 up in the series.

BATTING WOES OF TWO FOES

India has a problem with their first-innings batting. In the seven Tests before Brisbane, India has played two against Australia, three against New Zealand, and two against Bangladesh. Only one Indian batter scored a first-innings century in these Tests. You deserve a prize if you get it right. It was Ravichandran Ashwin (113). That was against Bangladesh, at Chennai. When Ashwin came in to bat, India was reeling on 144/6. The next best first-innings score in these Tests is Shubman Gill's 90 against New Zealand at the Wankhede, Mumbai. 

During the same period, Australia does not have much to show with their batting. Five of their top six batters are averaging below thirty. Travis Head is the only one who is averaging close to forty, but that is thanks to his 140 at Adelaide.

ARE THE BOWLERS DOING A BALANCING ACT?

In a five-match Test series, teams can expect to face injuries or resting key bowlers. This becomes a big challenge with fast bowlers. Both teams are rich in this department.

Josh Hazlewood played the Perth Test before getting injured. Scott Boland fitted in very well aiding Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins at Adelaide. Australian bowlers are hunting as a pack at the moment. This could be a fine edge balancer as the series progresses. 

Australia's Mitchell Starc celebrates dismissing India opener Yashasvi Jaiswal during the Adelaide Test. Photo: AFP

India is relying too much on Jasprit Bumrah. He heads the wickets tally between the two teams with 12 wickets from two Tests. India cannot expect Bumrah to last five matches if others do not step up. Over-reliance on Bumrah exposes the other bowlers to Aussies accumulating at the other end of when Bumrah goes off. Mohammad Siraj showed glimmers of hope At Adelaide with a four-fer. Siraj now needs to shoulder the burden. 

THE BEAUTY AND THE BEAST OF THE GABBA THIS TIME

The Gabba is Fortress Australia. You will have to dig deep to find out how many times England has won a Test at the Gabba. India breached the Gabba the last time they visited Australia. This time, however, the Gabba is a beauty only for the Team that can 'seize moments' in the match. 

The Gabba will have bounce on offer. This is good news for both teams. A very hot summer means the Gabba could be good to bat if batters can get in and survive. The masala, however, comes in the weather. There is a rain forecast for almost all the five days. One could argue that Tests these days don't last long. Rain may not be an issue. The rain will probably 'test' the resilience of teams at the Gabba. 

In the presence of rain, overhead weather will influence the swing of the ball. That would go in favour of Australia. Mitchell Starc can swing the ball extremely well. With Josh Hazlewood back in the side, Australia has a formidable pace trio. Hazlewood has a very good record at the Gabba. Can India do the same?

With rain will come breaks. This will test each side's patience and their ability to warm-up and get going on again. 

This Test will test the nerves of the two teams. 

WHO WILL TILT THE BALANCE AT THE GABBA?

The Gabba Test will be the defining Test of the series. It will 'test' the nerves of the two teams. The team that holds on to catches under pressure may well be the team that goes on to win at the Gabba, and probably the BGT. Win the toss and bowl if there is a chance of rain or there is overcast weather.

Whichever of the two teams you are rooting for, this is the Test where the balance of the series probably hangs. The teams are here to win a series. A series is a marathon. Off to the Gabba.

*Asrar Chowdhury is a Professor of Economics at Jahangirnagar University.