The Gabba, Brisbane's iconic cricket ground, is potentially facing its final days as a Test match venue. This uncertainty stems from Cricket Australia's decision to sign only a two-year hosting agreement with Queensland Cricket. The deal ensures that the Gabba will host Australia's third Test of the five-match series against India and one of the Ashes 2025 matches. However, beyond this point, there are no guarantees about future Test matches at this historic stadium.
Discussions are currently underway regarding the possibility of hosting white-ball internationals at the Gabba. Brisbane has expressed interest in hosting England for ODIs and T20Is in 2025, but no final decision has been made yet. The Ashes encounter in 2025-26 will mark the 49th consecutive season of Test cricket at the Gabba. However, there will be no half-century celebration as it is not slated to host one of the four New Zealand Tests in 2026-27.
The initial plan was to rebuild the Gabba from scratch for the 2032 Brisbane Olympics. However, due to high costs, it has been decided that the stadium will undergo renovations instead. This decision opens up the possibility of Cricket Australia renewing its contract as the renovation work won't disrupt cricket matches. If a complete rebuild had been chosen, work would have started in 2026 or 2027, effectively putting a stop to all cricket activities at the venue.
Queensland Cricket chairperson Kirsten Pike and chief executive Terry Svenson have expressed their frustrations over the lack of clarity surrounding the Gabba's future. They stated, "The State Government's decision to not progress with its commitment to rebuild the Gabba and downgrade its proposed Olympic role has resulted in direct and indirect changes to how we proceed with our business." They further added that this uncertainty could potentially impact statewide participation and fan engagement across men's and women's cricket.
Allan Border, former Australia and Queensland captain, has proposed building a new multipurpose venue in the city. He suggested that Cricket Australia needs certainty over the next four years about their ability to use the Gabba. Border proposed demolishing the Gabba and constructing a new venue from scratch at Victoria Park, envisioning a 60,000-seat stadium that could accommodate rugby, cricket, Aussie rules and the Olympics.
Cricket Australia chair Mike Baird finds it hard to imagine a future where Brisbane is not part of the regular Test schedule. He stated, "That's hard to imagine, but we have to have the facilities and a ground that supports it." Baird emphasized the need for a solution and expressed his commitment to working with the AFL on a long-term solution. He envisions a great venue in Brisbane that can support Queensland Cricket and Australian cricket for years to come.
