Haddin fails again with bat at Gabba

How out of form is Brad Haddin?

Wicketkeeping – the skill he once copped most flak for – is now Haddin’s strength after the veteran gloveman again fell cheaply in the second Test against India at the Gabba.

Haddin’s slump has become a concern after the 37-year-old reduced Australia to a wobbly 6-247 in reply to India’s 408 when he fell for six on Friday, extending his horror 2014 run.

Haddin is usually the old head Australia can rely on with the bat when the going gets tough – a role he revelled in against England only a summer ago.

But tough nut Haddin has cracked this year, notching just 85 runs at 9.4 in 11 Test innings since February.

Legendary leggie Shane Warne almost willed Haddin to turn his form around from the Nine Network commentary box when the veteran strode out to bat at a tense time on day three.

“Tough situations bring the best out of him,” Warne said of Haddin.

And if Haddin was ever going to get his groove back with the bat, it would be at the Gabba.

He averaged 60.85 in Tests in Brisbane when he took guard against India.

However, Haddin fell to a brute of a ball from Varun Aaron and was caught at short leg with Australia still trailing India’s first innings by 161.

In the end Mitchell Johnson (88 off 93 balls) and captain Steve Smith (133) saved the day in a Gabba Test record 148-run seventh wicket stand.

At least Haddin’s wicketkeeping can’t be faulted.

He took six catches in India’s first innings, equalling the most dismissals in a Test innings by an Australian wicketkeeper.

He joined an elite group that also included Wally Grout, Rod Marsh and Ian Healy.

And Warne joked that the veteran gloveman should have had more after the bizarre dismissal of opener Murali Vijay on Wednesday.

Haddin appeared to stump Vijay for 144 when he charged off-spinner Nathan Lyon but replays showed the opener had nicked the ball and he was officially given caught behind.

“Can you give him two for that?” Warne laughed.

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