India and Australia will be looking to take the lead in the ongoing IND vs AUS five-match series when they lock horns against each other in the Boxing Day Test. The highly-awaited game will be played from Thursday (December 26) at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
The IND vs AUS third Test at the Gabba ended in a draw as rain played spoilsport throughout the game. Australia were on the front foot for most part of the game and will be eyeing a similar performance in the upcoming Test as well.
Batting first, the hosts scored 445 runs in the first innings. In-form Travis Head starred with the bat once again, scoring 152 runs while Steve Smith scored a century as well.
In reply, India could only score 260 runs although they managed to avoid the follow-on. In the second innings, Australia declared their innings for 89/7 and set India a target of 275 runs. India were on 8/0 when the game was finally called off due to poor light and rain.
With both India and Australia now gearing up for the fourth Test, we are taking a look at the weather and pitch report for the upcoming game.
IND vs AUS Weather Report And Pitch Report Of The MCG, Melbourne – 4th Test, India tour of Australia 2024-25:
IND vs AUS Weather Report Of Melbourne:
The weather forecast for the fourth IND vs AUS Test is very promising. There are no predictions of rain on any of the five days and the match is likely to take without any big interruptions. The temperature will be hovering in the 20s and 30s for the most part of the Test.
IND vs AUS Pitch report:
Here are the stats of The Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne:
| First Test Match | 15/03/1877 |
| Last Test Match | 26/12/2023 |
| Matches Played | 116 |
| Matches Won by Home Side | 67 (57.76%) |
| Matches Won by Touring Side | 32 (27.59%) |
| Matches Won by Neutral Side | 0 (0.00%) |
| Matches Won Batting First | 57 (48.72%) |
| Matches Won Batting Second | 42 (35.90%) |
| Matches Won Winning Toss | 52 (44.44%) |
| Matches Won Losing Toss | 47 (40.17%) |
| Matches Drawn | 17 (14.66%) |
| Matches Tied | 0 (0.00%) |
| Highest Team Innings | 624/8 dec (Australia) |
| Lowest Team Innings | 36 (South Africa) |
| Highest Run Chase Achieved | 332/7 (England) |
| Average Opening Stand (Runs) | 34.29 |
| Average Runs per Wicket | 29.86 |
| Average Runs per Over | 2.91 |
| Average Score Batting First | 306 |
Ahead of the fourth Test, MCG curator Matt Page has ruled out the possibility of spinners playing a big role in the Test. So, fast bowlers are expected to get ample support from the surface and they will be looking to make the most of the conditions.
“Spinners? Oh, it doesn’t really break up and spin here,” Page told the media this week.
“If you look at our long-format games over the last four or five years, they’ve been more seam-friendly than spin-friendly. So I don’t see that changing here. We haven’t altered our pitches because of the balls.
“Basically, as I said, we sat down seven years ago after 2017 and discussed where we wanted to go as an organization and what we wanted to be renowned for—producing Test matches that provide a thrilling contest,” he added.
Speaking further, Page also said that even though the pitch would help the bowlers more especially with the new ball, the batters are likely to have the upper hand once the ball gets soft.
Conclusion:
Unlike the previous Test, the fourth IND vs AUS Test is highly unlikely to be affected by rain. The weather forecast shows no sign of rain and both the teams are expected to play the Test in bright and sunny conditions.
With a full five days of action set to take place, a result is highly likely. The game is hugely important for both teams. Winning the Test will not only give the team an unassailable lead but will also brighten up its chances of qualifying for the World Test Championship.