The fourth Test of the five-match series between Australia and India is scheduled to be played from December 26 to 30 at the legendary Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG).

Australia will face India in the 4th match of the 2024/25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy on 26 December 2024 at 05:00 IST at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), Melbourne.

It seems as though celebrations have taken over the historic Melbourne Stadium on the eve of the thriller; around 90,000 cricket fans will witness a fourth Test match that will see a fierce contest between bat and ball as the five-match Test series is tied 1-1. The historic venue is expected to host around 100,000 fans who will set the stage for a thrilling contest as both teams look to take a decisive step towards glory.

The stakes couldn't be higher as the two powerhouses head into the Boxing Day Test match at the MCG with the historic Border Gavaskar Trophy clash tied 1-1. A win for the visitors will see them clinch the series and retain the coveted title, while a win for Pat Cummins and his men would keep them on course for their first series win against Team India in the last 10 years.

As for the team dynamics, Australian captain Pat Cummins revealed the team's plan and revealed two key changes to the lineup. Young star Sam Konstas makes his debut, stepping in for Nathan McSweeney, while Boland replaces the injured Josh Hazlewood. Doubts and concerns remain over Travis Head's availability after he suffered a quadriceps strain in Brisbane, leaving the team nervous. However, his return to the starting XI is a huge asset for the hosts.

On the other hand, captain Rohit Sharma might open the innings in this Test match. The Indian team will take inspiration from Virat Kohli and Jasprit Bumrah here. Virat has scored 316 runs in the last three innings at the MCG, which is the best figure for the current team, while Jasprit Bumrah has the best bowling figures here.

Match Preview

Australia

Australia have strengthened their top order by signing Sam Konstas. The hosts face a major problem as none of their top three batters have scored over a hundred runs in the series so far. Marnus Labuschagne, with a series-high of just 82 runs, underlines the difficulties at the top. Usman Khawaja will open the innings with Konstas. Khawaja has played 6 Tests at MCG, scoring 422 runs at an average of 57. But Labuschagne has bad memories of this pitch, scoring just 30 runs at an average there.

Steve Smith and Travis Head will play in the middle for Australia. Both scored centuries in the last match. Smith is familiar with the MCG pitch. In 18 innings, he has scored 1093 runs at an average of 78.07. This includes four centuries and five half-centuries. Travis Head is currently the leading run scorer in the tournament with 409 runs at an average of 81.80. He will be the batsman to watch out for.

Mitchell Starc will lead the pace attack with captain Pat Cummins and Hazelwood. Both Starc and Cummins have taken 14 wickets in three Tests in the series. Cummins has taken 35 wickets in 7 Tests played so far at MCG, at an average of 17. He will be the bowler to watch out for. Nathan Lyon is the most experienced bowler in the team when it comes to MCG. In 13 Tests, Lyon has taken 45 wickets at this venue.

India

With their place in the final of the ICC Test Championship under threat, India will take to the field with immense pressure. Yashasvi Jaiswal will open the innings with KL Rahul. KL Rahul has been a standout performer for India in the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy and has shown remarkable consistency at the top of the order. The leading run-scorer for India has 235 runs at an average of 47. Jaiswal, his partner, is the third-highest run-scorer in the tournament with 193 runs. But he lacks consistency. Shubman Gill will come in at number three. The Prince's form has been poor this year. In two Tests, he has scored 60 runs.

Virat Kohli will come in the middle with Rohit Sharma and Ravindra Jadeja. Kohli scored a lot of runs in the first Test. Apart from that, he has scored only 23 runs in the remaining four innings. His inability to play the off balls has been the talk of the cricket world for the past week. Sharma has been out of form since the beginning of 2023. As of January 2023, Sharma has scored 1152 runs in 37 Tests at an average of 32. But the shocking part comes when he faces long balls. In the last two years, he has averaged 12 while facing long balls. Ravindra Jadeja has scored 77 runs in the only innings he has played so far. His average in Australia is now better than Virat Kohli's.

Nitish Kumar Reddy will come in at number seven. Reddy has impressed the fans with 179 runs in 5 innings. But he has not been used as a bowler. Jasprit Bumrah will lead the pace attack with Siraj and Akash Deep. Bumrah is the leading wicket-taker of the series with 21 wickets in three Tests at an average of 10.90. 10 of these 21 wickets were of Australia's designated top three. Siraj has had some good performances in Australia. The pacer has taken 13 wickets in 6 innings at an average of 24.

Pitch Report

The surface at the Melbourne Cricket Ground has become more seam-friendly in recent times. As a result, there has not been a single draw in the last six Boxing Day Tests. The fast bowlers will feel a touch of seam movement

Toss Prediction

In 117 Tests played here, the teams defending the target have had the advantage 57 times, while the teams chasing it have won 42 times. The average score in the first innings is 307, and the highest score is 624. The team that wins the coin toss should bat first

Weather Report

On match day, cloudy weather is expected at the MCG, with temperatures between 17 and 29 degrees Celsius. The wind will blow from the southeast at 6-11 km/h.

Head to Head

So far, the two teams have played 110 matches. Australia has won 46, India 33. Another 30 matches ended in a draw, one ended in a draw.

Venue Details

The match will be played at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne from December 26. The stadium has a capacity of 100,000 spectators. The stadium has hosted 117 Tests, 161 ODIs and 27 T20s. The first ODI match in cricket was also played at the MCG.

Match Prediction

With the series evenly matched, both teams will be looking to secure a place in the final of the ICC Test Championship. Two-time finalists India are currently struggling in Tests and have suffered three defeats in the last five Tests. Their batting line-up is out of form. On the other hand, Australia has managed to keep India under pressure in the last two Tests. Their pace attack is now balanced by the batsmen. Travis Head will be a headache for India.

We predict Australia to beat India.

Betting Tips

Australia and India have been close rivals in this series, as the 1-1 scoreline suggests. However, after a strong start, India could not maintain the upper hand throughout. Hampered by the weather in Brisbane, Australia looked the better side. India's dependence on Jasprit Bumrah is clearly visible, as are the cracks in both teams' batting line-ups.

A close game is likely, but Australia has more weapons in its arsenal. Plus, it will win a coin toss soon!

Bet on an Australia win.

Probable Playing XI

Australia Playing XI

Usman Khawaja, Sam Konstas, Marnus Labuschagne, Steven Smith, Travis Head, Mitchell Marsh, Alex Carey (wk), Pat Cummins (c), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood.

India Playing XI

Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant (wk), Rohit Sharma (c), Ravindra Jadeja, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Akash Deep.

Top Fantasy Picks Dream11 Prediction

Australia Key Players

Travis Head could be your captaincy candidate considering his batting form in the top order of the series. The left-hander has scored 409 runs in the last five matches and will be looking to pose a big threat to Team India's bowlers at the MCG to help his side take a 2-1 lead.

Mitchell Starc The left-handed pacer has been in top form for the team in the series. The star seamer has taken 14 wickets in the last three Test matches and could pose a big threat to Team India's batsmen at the iconic MCG. The star cricketer has also contributed with the bat in the lower order of play and has scored 76 runs so far.

Pat Cummins The star seamer has taken 14 wickets in the last three Test matches and could pose a major threat to Team India's batsmen at the iconic MCG. Cummins will be looking to beat India in this match to ensure the Aussies go 2-1 up under his leadership.

Steve Smith The star batsman scored a great century in the third Test match and will be looking to continue his great form in the fourth Test match against Team India.

India Key Players

Jasprit Bumrah The star bowler of the Indian team has taken 21 wickets in the last three matches and will look to pose a major threat to the hosts to help India take a 2-1 lead over the Australians and retain their trophy. The right-arm pacer is the most dangerous bowler and one of the players to watch out for in the Indian camp.

Yashasvi Jaiswal Team India's opening batsman showed his great form in the series opener but could not replicate it in the Adelaide-Brisbane match. The left-hander has scored 191 runs in the last 3 matches and will look to pose a big threat to the Aussies in this match.

Rishabh Pant The wicketkeeper-batsman has failed to make an impact in the series but he could turn things around here in the fourth Test match and help India take a 2-1 lead. Pant is the match-winner in Australian conditions and his form with the bat can destroy the Aussies.

Mohammed Siraj The right-arm pacer has taken 13 wickets in the last three Test matches and will look to pose a major threat to Cummins and his men in this Test match.