Former Australia opener Ed Cowan says the Gabba doesn’t deserve to automatically keep the first Test of the summer, labelling the attendance for the final day of the clash against Pakistan as an “absolute disgrace”.

Cowan scored his only Test century at the Gabba, against South Africa in 2012, but took aim at the venue after a meagre crowd was posted for the fourth and last day of the first Test on Sunday. Only 4825 spectators were on hand for what was nearly a full day’s cricket as Pakistan’s Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan fought hard to delay an Australian victory, which was ultimately wrapped up by an innings and five runs.

Empty threat: Spectators were few and far between at the Gabba. Getty

The crowd total for the match was a modest 45,891 and came as Australia captain Tim Paine expressed the players’ desire for the Gabba to be retained as the first Test of the summer in next year’s schedule. Paine and the players want to start their four-Test series against India in Brisbane but with Afghanistan also touring for a Test against Australia, the alternative is the Test summer starting at the Gabba under lights against the newcomers.

The competitive wicket in Brisbane is one of the venue’s great appeals, as is Australia’s formidable record, having not lost at the ground in a Test match since 1988.

However, Cowan, who is now a Cricket NSW director, said those factors did not mean Brisbane should necessarily keep the first Test.

“There was no one there. It was Sunday, last day of the Test match and there were 4000 people there. It’s an absolute disgrace,” Cowan said on ABC Grandstand.

The woeful Gabba Test crowd on day one of the match between Australia and Pakistan raised concerns.

“You can kick and scream and say, ‘Oh the wicket is the best in the country’ and, 'They deserve to have the first Test of the summer'. If people don’t go and watch, it will not continually have the first Test of the summer. That is the cold hard facts.

“There will be a Test match there, no doubt. Brisbane is not a great place to watch Test cricket. It’s hot, it’s sweaty, you’re in a concrete bowl. There’s nothing great about the Gabba except probably the wicket. What can make that better and more appealing is to play day-night cricket there. I think it’s one of those venues, a little bit like Adelaide, that is suited to day-night cricket.”

India would be a huge drawcard for a day-night Test at the Gabba but skipper Virat Kohli said his side would want plenty of notice.

"There has to be planning for a pink-ball game," Kohli said, pointing to the struggle of a Bangladesh team whose pink-ball inexperience was laid bare in their comprehensive defeat in Kolkata on Sunday.

"We played on home conditions. You ask Bangladesh and they'd have liked a practice game before this game.

"Just because we know these conditions and our bowlers are bowling so well, we don't really feel the challenge..."

"A good practice game before that and enough time to prepare, we're open to anything. You can't just play it on a short notice."

Cricket Australia head of national teams Ben Oliver said on Monday the powerful Board of Control for Cricket in India would have a role to play in the construction of the home international schedule for the 2020/21 season.

India had not played a day-night Test until the match against Bangladesh over the weekend and Australian officials are eager to have them commit to a pink ball Test for the first time in Australia next summer.

"All of the stakeholders have some discussion or some say in how the schedule takes place," Oliver said. "They’re an important stakeholder for us but equally we’ve got to do what’s right for our fans and our players and we’ll continue to have those discussions throughout the summer.

"There is no doubt that the Gabba is a really good place for our team to play. I think Tim’s comments are just a reflection on the fact the team enjoys playing at the Gabba. Obviously [they have] had a lot of success there and it’s been traditionally the venue where we start out the Test summer. Whilst there are no decisions made on next year I think it’s important we start to work through that and the discussions with India are moving positively."