More often than not the Australian players have asked for a Test match in Brisbane earlier in the summer than later and there is no question about it as that is supported by the Gabba pitch curator David Sandurski.
Australia’s track record here in before- and post-Christmas fixtures is a good statistic.
As per the Australian Associated Press (AAP), there have been only five Tests held at the Gabba after Christmas and Australia have lost three, two in the past three years, against India in 2021 and against the West Indies this year. Both the matches were in January.
Australia, by comparison, has lost only seven matches out of 61 Tests before Christmas. Actually, before their loss to India in 2021 they have not lost at Gabba since 1988 which is why it is the fortress for them.
The classic flow and aggression the Gabba track provides is based on a new release early in the year rather than right after Christmas. Thus, it does more for the pacers of the home team and makes the out-of-town batsman bounce.
Maybe the wet conditions before the Test starts on 14 December will be enough to juicing the track up a little bit.
“It can be different pitch at different times of year, it could be slightly different pitch,” pitch curator Sandurski told AAP. “Later in the season will have more wear and tear and earlier in the season will be a little fresher and may have more.
“In most cases we still prepare the pitch the same every time just to try and get that good carry, pace and bounce the Gabba is famous for,” Sandurski continued. ‘We are just making the same old Gabba wicket like we do every year’.
After the pink-ball Test at Adelaide which Australia lost by 10 wickets to bounce back after India’s 295-run triumph in Perth, the last three Tests will be red-ball, early start.