BGT 2024-25: When was the last time a team won at Gabba after electing to bowl first?

The third BGT 2024-25 test got underway on Saturday in Brisbane.

One of the most famous moments in the Ashes history of the 21st century is when former England captain Nasser Hussain won the toss and elected to bowl first in the Brisbane test of the Ashes 2002.

This was a bold decision – because teams rarely win after choosing to bowl first at the Gabba – and by the end of play on day 1, it went down in the Ashes folklore as one of the most embarrassing calls made by a captain. Australia ended day 1 at 364/2, with Hayden and Ponting hammering centuries, and Australia went on to win the match by a huge margin of 384 runs.

After the crushing defeat, Hussain said, “I read the wicket wrong on the first day and the buck stops with me on that one.“

That is the general explanation captains give after losing the match by big margins after electing to bowl first in test cricket. Victories in test cricket are usually set up by hefty first innings scores. Especially at the Gabba.

Could something similar transpire with India and Rohit Sharma in the BGT 2024-25 clash in Brisbane as it did with England and Nasser Hussain in the Ashes 2002 at this venue?

The third BGT 2024-25 test kicked off on Saturday morning in Brisbane with Indian skipper Rohit Sharma electing to bowl first. Rohit cited the overcast conditions as the reason for his choice at the toss. But the Australian openers Usman Khawaja and Nathan McSweeney have successfully and cautiously negotiated the initial period, remaining unbeaten after 13 overs.

Let us see the record of teams winning at the Gabba when bowling first, and in particular after winning the toss.

BGT 2024-25: When was the last time a team won at Gabba after electing to bowl first?

The last time a team won at the Gabba after electing to bowl first was in December 2022, when Australia beat South Africa by six wickets. Australia bowled out South Africa for 152 and 99 on what a very spicy wicket; the hosts too struggled with the bat, managing a first-innings score of 218 and then losing four wickets in the chase of 34 runs.

However, that was the only time since 2001 that a team won a match in Brisbane after choosing to bowl first.

How many times did a team win at the Gabba after electing to bowl first?

There have been only 11 test matches out of 134 at the Gabba where a team won the match after choosing to bowl first. And there have been only 26 tests where a team won after bowling first in Brisbane.

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