Big picture: Border vs Gavaskar trophy at stake
This is big. If India wins at the MCG, they will retain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. If Australia wins, they will be on track for their first series win against India in 10 years. A defeat for the home team would raise serious doubts, but if India lose, the fate of the World Test Championship (WTC) will be out of their hands, but there is still a chance of them retaining the series trophy. If the predictions are anything to go by, a draw would be unlikely, especially given the ground’s recent history. And whatever unfolds on Boxing Day could be played in front of more than 90,000 spectators.
It has only been six days since the Gabba trial concluded, but a lot has happened. Those who were unaware of the scoreline might feel like India were in the lead, given that Australia were forced to make a change at the top of the order to look for a counterpunch against Jasprit Bumrah. This means 19-year-old Sam Constas will make a sensational debut in just 11 first-class games.
But it was also an interesting few days for visitors. Virat Kohli met reporters at Melbourne Airport. Ravindra Jadeja only took questions in Hindi at a press conference, which irritated some people. And there were hints of a conspiracy when India were given a used pitch to practice at the MCG.
Meanwhile, when it comes to what matters, they are still trying to find enough support for Bumrah and more points from their under-performing top order. There doesn’t seem to be much that India can do personnel-wise regarding the batting order, but they will be hoping someone will follow in KL Rahul’s shoes instead.
There hasn’t been much actual cricket in the last two Tests. Day 3 started and ended in Adelaide just over an hour ago, but rain was a constant threat in Brisbane. But from Perth onwards, Australia has the upper hand. Still, with a record of 1 win and 1 loss, there isn’t much room for a bad day.
Australia’s top order remains under scrutiny, with senior batsmen Usman Khawaja and Marnus Labuschagne still in the running, with calls for dropping Nathan McSweeney in favor of Constance at such a crucial moment in the series. few. Travis Head hit a quadruple niggle in Brisbane but was in good form and changed the course of the game, while Stephen Smith’s hundred was timely and by the end of the game they were playing very fluently.
The fact that Scott Boland can return to the ground where he has had so much success – highlighted by six hits in seven against England in 2021-22 – shows the depth of Australia’s pace bowling. That may make a difference, but don’t take into account the fact that Bumrah almost won it on his own, with India having not lost a Test at the MCG since 2011.
form guide
(Last 5 completed matches, most recent first)
Australia DWWWW
IndiaDLWLL
People to watch: Usman Khawaja and Virat Kohli
Usman Khawaja is nearing the end of his leanest Test year since 2013 (when he averaged 19.00 in just three matches). In 2024, he scored 337 runs, including just 150, with a return of 24.07 runs. However, the Australian camp is of the view that, like Smith before his Gabba century, he is not so much out of form as he is running out of runs. Khawaja said he has his sights set on next year’s Ashes as it could be the finish line at the SCG in just over 12 months, but whether he can get there will depend on the next two Tests and the Sri Lanka series. may be influenced by.
India has one great retired player in this series. And rumors are flying about who will be next. Virat Kohli ended his century drought in his second innings in Perth, but there are other patterns of dismissal at the moment, with him looking like an outlier of pushing the ball hard outside the stumps. In Brisbane, he was particularly reaching out to push for wider deliveries. In 2014, he scored an impressive Test score of 169, 54 at the MCG, and in 2018 he scored a hard-fought 82 as captain, helping to lay the foundations for the famous victory that ultimately sealed that series. He missed out on 2020, when India won the title again. What will 2024 bring?
Team news: Konsta’s debut, Borland’s return. India’s balance problem
Constas’ debut is set for Christmas Eve, with Boland expected to return in place of injured Josh Hazlewood. Head passed a fitness test on Christmas Day after coming out of the Gabba with a quad injury.
Australia: 1 Usman Khawaja, 2 Sam Constas, 3 Marnus Labuschagne, 4 Stephen Smith, 5 Travis Head, 6 Mitchell Marsh, 7 Alex Carey (week), 8 Pat Cummins (captain), 9 Mitchell・Stark, 10 Nathan Ryan, 11 Scott Boland
Rohit Sharma’s batting position remains a hot topic and he did not reveal where he will be slotted in before the match, but it seems unlikely that India will break the opening pair. Another important debate is what to do with No. 8. Either stick with Nitesh Kumar Reddy, opt for another specialist right away (which will likely lengthen the tail), or opt for Washington Sundar as a replacement all-rounder and a 3-2 balance of pace and spin. Raft. ?
India (possible): 1 Yashasvi Jaiswal, 2 KL Rahul, 3 Shubman Gill, 4 Virat Kohli, 5 Rishabh Pant (week), 6 Rohit Sharma (capt), 7 Ravindra Jadeja, 8 Nitesh Kumar Reddy/Washington Sundar, 9 Akash Deep, 10 Jasprit Bumrah, 11 Mohammed Siraj
Pitch and conditions: Scorching temperatures on Boxing Day
The MCG pitch, which is a treasure trove for quicks, is attracting attention. Curator Matt Page said he planned to leave about 6mm of grass on the surface, following a formula that has been successful in recent seasons. Australia coach Andrew MacDonald said it is usually the first surface he bowls on, but things may be different this time. A hot opening day is expected, with temperatures potentially reaching 40 degrees Celsius, which could lead to an earlier pitch than usual. There is a chance of showers on the second day, but otherwise the forecast is sunny, with more comfortable temperatures from the third day onwards.
statistics and trivia
Bumrah needs six wickets for 200 in Tests. If he achieves it at the MCG in the 44th Test, he will become the second fastest for India after R Ashwin Since the 2018-19 season, the score of six Test centuries at the MCG is the lowest of all venues in Australia The current average for Australia’s top three teams is the lowest in a home series with at least three Tests played (Note: Including Pat Cummins who played the Perth night watchman)
quotation
“Every match starts anew…different teams, different structures. I think both teams have similar challenges at the moment. How do you find the runs? Both bowling attacks were top notch. I does not strongly believe that history repeats itself.”
Australia head coach Andrew McDonald didn’t read much into past Boxing Day results
“After three Test matches, if it’s more of a one-all, it’s a fair reflection of the way both teams played. Both teams played some solid cricket.”
Rohit Sharma talks about the current status of the series
