Credit: ESPNcricinfo
As India and Australia gear up for the next encounter at Brisbane, the Gabba’s history of high drama adds a tantalising subplot
Things are getting hot for the highly anticipated Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) 2024–25. Australia and India have traded blows, leaving the series tantalisingly poised at 1-1. India’s emphatic win in Perth, led by Jasprit Bumrah’s fiery spells and Virat Kohli’s imperious batting, was countered by Australia’s resurgence in Adelaide. Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins led a ruthless assault under the pink-ball spotlight. Now, the cricketing caravan moves to the Gabba, Brisbane, where both teams have shared glory—and an unforgettable blush of ignominy.
The Gabba pitch for the 3rd Test Match between India vs Australia. 🥶 (CricSubhayan).#INDvsAUS #bordergavaskartrophy2024 #BGT2024 #Cricket #TeamIndia #Australia pic.twitter.com/BwnKRpdESg
— Fantasy Khiladi (@_fantasykhiladi) December 13, 2024
As the third Test approaches, let’s take a walk down memory lane and revisit a peculiar connection between these cricketing powerhouses: the dreaded “58 all out” saga at the Gabba.
Down Under in December 1936. The ashes rivalry was in full swing, but something inexplicable happened. England’s attack, spearheaded by the likes of Gubby Allen and Hedley Verity, dismantled Australia for a paltry 58 runs in their first innings.
Australia’s top order crumbled like a house of cards. Wickets fell faster than one could blink, with only opener Jack Fingleton managing double digits (10 runs). England’s varied bowling attack worked like clockwork, leaving the home crowd shell-shocked.
Though Australia put up a fight in the second innings, scoring 323, the damage had already been done. England walked away with a commanding win, but the haunting memory of Australia’s lowest-ever total at the Gabba lingered in cricketing lore.
Ten years later, in Brisbane, another disastrous batting collapse occurred; this time, it was India’s fault. Touring Australia for the first time, India’s batting line-up was no match for Ernie Toshack’s mesmerising spell.
India, chasing Australia’s formidable 382/8 declared, folded for 58 all out in just 21.3 overs. Toshack bowled like a man possessed, claiming five wickets for just two runs in his 2.3-over spell. Ray Lindwall and Keith Miller lent stellar support.
Forced to follow on, India fared slightly better in the second innings but still managed only 98, handing Australia a thumping innings-and-226-run victory.
Two cricketing greats, separated in time, stumbled in very identical ways at the same ground; it’s almost poetic.
The score: Both Australia in 1936 and India in 1947 crumbled for exactly 58 runs—a record that remains the lowest-ever team total at the Gabba. In the Australian innings, 9 of the 11 batters failed to reach double figures, with the highest scorer managing just 13. For India, the situation was eerily identical—8 batters scored in single digits, and the top scorer barely got to 14.
The conditions: A Gabba surface with relentless bounce and sharp movement was ideal for fast bowlers. Frank Ward (4/9) and Morris Sievers (3/14) ran through the opposition in Australia’s debacle. For India, Ernie Toshack (5/2) and Ray Lindwall (4/16) orchestrated the destruction, combining for staggering figures of 18.1-6-18-9.
Ernie Toshack, who destroyed India by his devastating spell // Picture Courtesy – ESPNcricinfo
The collapse: The lower order failed to put up any opposition during the flurry of dismissals that occurred in both innings. Australia’s innings in 1936 lasted just 15.3 overs, while India’s fold in 1947 was only slightly longer at 21.3 overs. The astonishing similarity lies in the loss of their last 8 wickets—Australia lost them for 33 runs, and India for an even worse 25 runs.
The magnetic pull of the Gabba can paralyse even the most determined batters.
So, as the players step onto the hallowed Gabba turf, the ghosts of 58 will indeed whisper their warnings. After all, whether cherished or unwanted, records have a funny way of repeating themselves in cricket.
