The much-awaited fourth Test of the India tour of Australia 2024-25 will begin on December 26 at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground.
The five-match series is currently tied 1-1, with the most recent encounter at the Gabba in Brisbane ending in a rain-affected draw. As a result, both teams earned four points each in the World Test Championship standings. Australia remain in second place, with their PCT (Percentage of Points) dropping from 60.71 to 58.89, while India stay in third, with their PCT falling from 57.29 to 55.88. The upcoming Melbourne Test will be crucial for both teams as they look to gain the upper hand in the series.
AUS vs IND: Head-to-head record in Test cricket
- Test matches played: 110
- Australia won: 46
- India won: 33
- Drawn matches: 30
- Australia’s highest total against India: 674
- Australia’s lowest total Against India: 83
- India’s highest total against Australia: 705/7
- India’s lowest total against Australia: 36
Test stats and records at Melbourne Cricket Ground
- Total Matches: 117
- Matches won batting first: 57
- Matches won bowling first: 42
- Average 1st innings Score: 307
- Average 2nd innings Score: 312
- Average 3rd innings Score: 252
- Average 4th innings Score: 172
- Highest total recorded: 624/8 (142 overs) by Australia vs Pakistan
- Lowest total recorded: 36/10 (23.2 Ov) by South Africa vs Australia
Also READ: AUS vs IND: Rohit Sharma reacts on Virat Kohli’s outside-off stump struggle in BGT 2024-25
Melbourne Cricket Ground Pitch Report:
The pitch at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) is expected to offer a balanced contest between bat and ball. Early in the game, bowlers may find some assistance, particularly with the new ball, but as the match advances, the surface is likely to become more favorable for the batters. With its consistent bounce and pace, the pitch will enable aggressive stroke play, providing opportunities for the batters to score freely. However, the larger boundaries at the MCG could have an impact on the scoring rate, requiring batters to hit with greater precision and power. This added challenge could make for an intriguing battle, as teams look to find the right balance between attack and defense. The conditions are set to provide an exciting spectacle, where both bowlers and batters will need to adapt as the game unfolds.
Squads:
Australia: Pat Cummins (c), Travis Head (vc), Steve Smith (vc), Sean Abbott, Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Sam Konstas, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Marsh, Jhye Richardson, Mitchell Starc, Beau Webster
India: Rohit Sharma (c), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant (wk), Sarfaraz Khan, Dhruv Jurel, Tanush Kotian, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammed Siraj, Akash Deep, Prasidh Krishna, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar, Jasprit Bumrah, Harshit Rana, Devdutt Padikkal