Australia head coach Justin Langer and former captain Allan Border were amongst those who called for a change in the existing rain rule after the final session of the second day of the Australia-India Brisbane Test was abandoned due to showers.
Play began half-hour early on day three after the final session of the previous day was washed out due to rain and wet ground conditions. The covers came off around 15:50 local time on Saturday, but the umpires weren’t satisfied with the soggy conditions, and play was ultimately called off an hour later.
With three days left and 141.2 overs bowled in the Test so far, Australia’s chances of winning the game and thereby clinching the Border-Gavaskar Trophy look considerably more difficult. A draw enough would see India retain the trophy.
Australia head coach Langer, speaking to Fox Cricket ahead of the third day, suggested the need to look at the existing system and was backed by batting coach Andrew McDonald.
“As a cricket tragic that I am, and also now watching the business of sport, it’s so disappointing for us not to be playing cricket,” Langer said.
“We’ve talked about getting cricket back on the airwaves and TV screens to make Australians happy, after what’s been a tough 2020, so not to be able to play because of a bit of soggy grass, it’s one of the areas we need to look at in cricket.
“The umpires did what they had to do, but as a sport we need to look at that, no doubt about it.”
McDonald felt that play on the second day, when India had lost their openers in the first 20 overs, could have been extended. “There’s no doubt that if we had a bit more flexibility in the rigid cut off time that we would be able to play for an hour or little bit more,” he said.
“I feel for the spectators that stayed through that downpour. They were pretty optimistic we were going to get some play and so were we and I think the India team were as well.”
Former Australia skipper Allan Border was unimpressed by play being called off, saying that there’s “no real reason” for the day to end early unless there are still showers.
“I think the rain rule in cricket is one of the worst rules,” Border told Fox Cricket after the second day’s play. “It needs to be tightened up that’s for sure, conditions here are pretty good.
“There is a little bit of moisture on the surface but nothing that should be stopping the game being played, nothing wrong with the run-ups or the pitch itself.
“There’s no real reason for it, unless it starts raining again of course. I haven’t seen the radar but apart from that I can’t see any good reason why we aren’t playing.”
