Cricket Australia retires the Gabba as a Test site, Marnus Labuschagne laments, “It’d be a sad day if we don’t get to play there.”

In Test cricket, Gabba has been referred to as the Australian team’s stronghold. Given the significance of the location, India’s 2021 victory over Australia at Gabba was one of the most memorable. In 2024, the West Indies broke through the fortress, and Brian Lara began to cry from the commentary box. However, Cricket Australia has made the decision to stop using the stadium for Test matches going forward.

Given that Gabba is his home field, Australia’s Marnus Labuschagne has expressed regret at the news. Furthermore, Gabba has been the location of the Ashes for the past forty years. Sadly, there won’t be an Ashes match in the prestigious arena in 2025–26. Regarding the same, Labuschagne joked that it’s not the best idea to stop using Gabba as a red-ball venue.

“As a playing group, it disappoints us every time we (Australia) are unable to play at the Gabba because we adore the surface there.

Speaking to Fox Sports, Labuschagne stated, “We love playing in Brisbane and we’ve got a really good record there, so that (no Tests at the Gabba) is really not ideal.”

“Hopefully, we can resolve the issues over the next few years so that we can continue to host Tests (at the Gabba) in the future. If we don’t get to play at the Gabba for a while, it will be a sad day,” he continued.

Notably, Australia has won 42 of the 66 Test matches they have played at the Gabba since 1931, demonstrating their supremacy in Brisbane. Furthermore, Cricket Australia CEO Nick Hockley recently hinted that Gabba would be shut down since larger preparations are being made for a venue, and the 2032 Olympics are expected to take place.

Also Read: One should not pursue captaincy with Jasprit Bumrah: Basit Ali

“We think that the sports fans of Queensland deserve a fantastic, functional stadium for the long term, and we welcome that there will be additional investment in the near future,” Hockley stated.