India and Australia will be up against each other once again this week when the IND vs AUS Boxing Day Test gets underway. The fourth Test of the ongoing five-match series will be played at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) from Thursday (December 26).
The IND vs AUS series is currently locked at 1-1 and the winner of the upcoming Test will be assured of at least not losing the series anymore. After India won the first Test and Australia won the second Test, the third Test at the Gabba ended in a draw.
Rain played spoilsport on all the days of the Test and eventually forced the umpires to call off the game early.
In the first innings, centuries from Steve Smith and Travis Head propelled the hosts to a big total of 445 runs. In reply, India’s batters once again failed to impress after their poor show in the second Test as the hosts were bowled out for 260 runs.
With a 185-run lead in the bag, Australia declared their second innings on 89/7. In reply, India were on 8/0 when the game was called off. Ahead of the fourth Test, here are all the predictions for the game.
IND vs AUS Match Prediction- 4th Test, India tour of Australia 2024-25:
Pitch Conditions:
The Indian batsmen will have their task cut out in the upcoming Test as the MCG curator has said that the surface will assist the pacers more and spinners are unlikely to make a big impact in the game. India’s batters have struggled against Australia’s pacers in the series so far and will have to be at their best to do well in Melbourne.
While the surface will assist the pacers early on, batsmen can reap the reward if they manage to negate the new ball. Once the ball gets soft, the batsmen will find it easy to score.
Form and Fitness
As of now, Team India have no injury concerns. Captain Rohit Sharma did suffer a blow on his knee during a practice session but is expected to be fit in time for the Test. On the other hand, Australia have lost the services of their pacer, Josh Hazlewood. He has been sidelined due to a calf injury.
Score Prediction
| Team | 1st Innings | 2nd Innings |
| IND | 300-350 | 150-200 |
| AUS | 350-400 | 150-200 |
IND vs AUS Players to perform prediction
IND: KL Rahul, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant, Rohit Sharma, and Jasprit Bumrah will be the key players for India.
AUS: Steve Smith, Marnus Labuschagne, Travis Head, Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, and Scott Boland will be the key players for Australia.
IND vs AUS Best Batsman Prediction
Who will score the most runs for IND in the match: KL Rahul or Shubman Gill
Who will score the most runs for AUS in the match: Travis Head or Steve Smith
IND vs AUS Best Bowler Prediction
Who will pick the most wickets for IND in the match: Jasprit Bumrah or Mohammed Siraj
Who will pick the most wickets for AUS in the match: Mitchell Starc or Pat Cummins
Conclusion – Who will win the Match?
Australia will start the game as favorites and are expected to beat India in the upcoming Test. The form is with Australia and they will be looking to make the most of it. India, on the other hand, will have to be at their best to win the forthcoming game.