Ashes 2017-18: Brisbane's impact on Australia's home Test series results

Australia’s stupendous Test record at the Gabba is a nightmare for the visiting teams as the Aussies have won 21 out of the last 28 matches played at the venue and the remaining seven ended in a draw. This healthy record has often played a crucial role in the series results for Australia and could also replicate during the Ashes starting on Thursday. The home team will take on the England side in the opening game of the 70th Ashes series at this venue.

In the last 40 years, Australia featured in 67 Test series at home out of which 40 included a Test match in Brisbane. In these 40 Test matches, Australia lost only five while nine other games ended in a draw. Aussies won 26 Tests at this venue in this period out of which they ended up winning the series on 25 occasions. Interestingly, they managed to win only three series where the Brisbane Test ended in a draw while the hosts conceded all the five series’ where they lost the game at this venue.

Since 2000, four of Australia’s Tests in Brisbane ended as a draw and they couldn’t win the series. The Aussies drew the Gabba Test against New Zealand and India in 2001 and 2004 respectively with the series ended at levels while the 2010/11 Ashes and 2012 series against South Africa turned out to be series defeats. The only time they couldn’t win a Test series in the last 40 years after winning a Test at Gabba was in the 2-match Test series against New Zealand after they lost the 2nd game in Hobart by a mere 7-run margin with David Warner stranded at one end.

Australia’s Test series results that included a Test match in Brisbane: (Since November 1977)

Similarly, Australia’s record after winning the first Test of a home series often helped them win the series. They have won 38 of the 41 series’ since 1977 in which they won the first Test with the remaining three ending in a draw. They had to share the series with India and West Indies in 1981 and also the 2-match series against New Zealand in 2010.

Australia’s Test series results based on results of 1st match of the series: (Since November 1977)

Looking at the history related to opening Test of a series, Australia and Brisbane, it is safe to assume that the home side can regain the Ashes if they make a victorious start at the Gabba. Whenever the Aussies won the first Test of a series in Brisbane in the last 40 years, they went on to lift the series title 21 out of 22 times which is a staggering 95.45 percentage.

Australia’s Test series results in which 1st match of the series was played in Brisbane: (Since November 1977)

(Stats as on November 22, 2017)