India vs Australia 2024 3rd Test Brisbane Weather Report: Rain and thunderstorms to ruin Gabba clash?

India and Australia are heading into the third Test match at the Gabba in Brisbane from Saturday level at 1-1 in the five-match Test series for the Border Gavaskar Trophy (BGT). Team India had won the first Test in Perth by 295 runs while hosts Australia bounced back to second ‘Pink Ball’ Test at the Adelaide Oval by 10 wickets.

With the series level, a win for either side at the Gabba will give them much-needed edge for the remaining series. But if the weather was sunny in Adelaide, it has been quite the opposite in Brisbane with rain and wet weather welcoming the two sides.

The weather prediction for the third Test starting on December 14 which is Saturday doesn’t look very promising at the moment. Thunderstorms followed by large spells of rain are predicted for the first-half of the game at the Gabba.

Here is the forecast for the Gabba Test between India and Australia…

Heavy rain predicted in Brisbane on the weekend

Gabba is set to witness thunderstorms and heavy rain on Day 1 of the third Test on Saturday. According to Accuweather website, there is about 88 per cent chance of rain on the opening day of the Gabba Test.

It is expected to be cloudy and humid throughout the day with a high of 29 degrees and a low of 23. Sunday or Day 2 of the Test match will not be much better either with heavy rain in the morning predicted. There is a 59 per cent chance of rain on the second day which will again be a humid one with a high of 31 degrees and a low of 23.

Monday and Tuesday again appears gloomy with almost 60 per cent chances of rain on both of these days which will be days 3 and 4 of the Test. The weather will finally start to clear from Tuesday which is the fifth and final day of the Gabba Test with only 1 per cent chance of rain on that day.

Gabba has been Australian fortress barring recent years

The Gabba had been Australian fortress over the years in Test cricket before Team India first breached it in 2021 by clinching the final Test and the series 2-1. West Indies also stunned Australia here earlier this year. But before that from 1988 to 2021, Australia didn’t lose a single Test at this venue.

The pitch at the Gabba is expected to be a lively one for the third Test with a thick covering of grass currently on the 22 yards. Gabba curator David Sandurski has revealed that the track here before Christmas is more ‘spicy’ than the won later in the season around January.

“Different times of year definitely makes it different, it can be a slightly different pitch,” Sandurski was quoted as saying by the West Australian.

“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. 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,” he added.