The opening day Brisbane washout will cost Cricket Australia $1 million in ticket refunds

Brisbane’s rain has poured cold water on the start of the Gabba Test – and it’s set to be very costly for Cricket Australia.

Australia were 0-28 when rain halted play before lunch at the Gabba on Saturday, before persistent heavy showers stopped the players returning at any stage.

If the fans in attendance had seen just 10 more deliveries, they would have missed out on a ticket refund.

Cricket Australia’s refund policy states that fans are entitled to a full refund if there are less than 15 overs.

The Gabba was sold out, so it’s likely the payback figure will be well over $1 million.

On the field, Australia’s players will consider the day something of a victory after being sent in under cloudy skies.

Heavy rain stopped play before lunch at the Gabba on Saturday

The torrential rain will leave Cricket Australia with a significant financial hit

Better conditions are expected on Sunday and while there is likely to be some juice in the wicket early, any advantage India took by bowling first could be nullified by lunch.

In an opening session on Saturday that included a 30-minute stoppage due to rain, Australia shone early as Usman Khawaja played with a real sense of purpose to be 19 not out.

Dismissed 25 times in Test cricket since his last century at the start of the 2023 Ashes, Khawaja played with great intent, twice pulling Mohammed Siraj to the boundary.

He also clipped Jasprit Bumrah for another four to fine leg, with India’s batting weapon at times guilty of bowling too straight.

Nathan McSweeney was also not out with Khawaja on four when the heavy rain hit, having survived his first session at his childhood “home” of the Gabba.

India would have been frustrated to go without a wicket after captain Rohit Sharma had no hesitation in sending Australia in to bat.

Siraj, in particular, bowled too short in his first spell before moving the ball around more in his second and hitting the outside edge of Khawaja’s bat.

The tourists had earlier made two changes, with seamer Akash Deep and spinner Ravindra Jadeja coming in for Harshit Rana and Ravichandran Ashwin.

Usman Khawaja played with a real sense of purpose to be 19 not out

Jadeja’s call-up means India have used three spinners in the first three Tests, with Washington Sundar playing in Perth and Ashwin in Adelaide.

Australia’s only change from the 10-wicket win in Adelaide was Josh Hazlewood’s immediate return from a side strain.

His selection leaves Scott Boland as the unlucky man in Australian cricket after he has now played in just 11 of a possible 34 Tests since his magical debut in 2021.

Minimal rain is forecast for Sunday, but there is a threat of bad weather continuing for the final three days of the Test.