The Border-Gavaskar Trophy is back to where it all began with the series locked at one-all, and a sold-out crowd expected in attendance at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on the opening day of the fourth Test, the stage is set for another tantalising contest as both India and Australia look to gain upper hand in the five-match rubber.
If Perth, Adelaide and Brisbane were Australian strongholds, Melbourne brings happy memories for India as the tourists return to the iconic ground having won the last two Tests at the MCG in 2018-19 and 2020-21, and the New Year’s Test in Sydney will bring spin into play.
Considered the spiritual home of Australian cricket and played on the biggest date on the calendar, the occasion adds another flavour to the already spicy contest between the two finalists of the 2023 World Test Championship final. With another WTC cycle nearing an end, and the race to the 2025 final at Lords’ still wide open, the Test holds greater significance for India, considering they are placed third in the standings, and as such Rohit Sharma’s men need two outright wins to make it to a third straight WTC final.
On the other hand, Pat Cummins’ men are placed second in the table, and even if they lose the BGT, the Kangaroos will have another two-Test series against Sri Lanka to make up the numbers for their WTC title defence.
India began the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy with a commanding 295-run win in Perth before Australia returned the favour with equal intensity by handing a 10-wicket mauling at Adelaide. The rain-marred third Test in Brisbane ended in a draw although Australia largely dominated most parts of the contest and will be hoping to continue in the same vein when they return after the Christmas break on Thursday.
A week after the damp end to the Gabba Test, a lot has happened off the field. Australia were forced to change their top order to counter Jasprit Bumrah’s menace, Virat Kohli had a run-in with a reporter at the Melbourne airport, Ravindra Jadeja was accused of taking questions in Hindi at a press conference which got the Aussies annoyed, and there were suggestions of a conspiracy when the visitors were offered used pitches to train ahead of the crucial match.
Having said that, India will look to draw positives from their previous two victories at the venue, and turn things around, especially with three of their top order — Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill and Rishabh Pant, having issues of their own during the series.
While Jaiswal, on his maiden Test trip Down Under, began with a stellar 161 in the Perth Test, his subsequent scores have dipped significantly with a highest score of 4 in his last three innings. Gill, after missing the Perth Test, got starts in Adelaide but has failed to get to a significant score in the series. Pant has impressed in patches in tough scoring conditions but again failed to get a big one.
The problems for India compounded with the senior pros — Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma — also enduring a considerably longish lean patch. While Kohli managed to get a century in Perth, Rohit has been awfully short of runs with the right-hander passing 20 just twice in his last 13 Test innings. The presence of Nitish Kumar Reddy and Ravindra Jadeja adds to the depth in the visitors line-up.
As for their bowling resources, there has been an over-reliance on Bumrah, with Mohammed Siraj struggling to strike in crunch situations. Akash Deep, who featured in his first overseas Test at the Gabba, looked impressive, and will be expected to provide the support that Bumrah wants from the other end.
In the spin department, the tourists will expect a lot from the seasoned Ravindra Jadeja, especially in the post-Ravichandran Ashwin era. Washington Sundar could be back as the second spinner although India have drafted in the uncapped Tanush Kotian, and as such could be a toss-up between the two young off-spinning all-rounders.
On the other hand, Australia will be keen to work on their shortcomings, especially the failure of the top order. In the lead-up to the MCG Test, the hosts did not hesitate to take bold measures by dropping the rookie opener Nathan McSweeney after the 25-year-old became a bunny of Bumrah, with the 31-year-old Indian accounting for the youngster on four occasions in six innings.
In fact, Bumrah has been the thorn for Australia this summer, with the right-arm quick’s exceptional showing (21 wickets at 10.9) keeping the home batters on tenterhooks throughout the series.
McSweeney’s axing opened the door for uncapped Sam Konstas, with the Australians already confirming his MCG debut, and the teen sensation already sounding “super confident” of tackling Bumrah. Konstas based his statement on the back of his century for the Prime Minister’s XI in the practice game against a Bumrah-less Indian attack in Canberra.
On an MCG pitch with plenty of life, Konstas, who becomes the fourth-youngest Australian to make his debut after Ian Craig, current captain Pat Cummins, and Tom Garrett, will perhaps have the toughest of initiations to Test cricket against Bumrah and Co.
Konstas’ partner Usman Khawaja will hope for a turnaround after a lengthy lean patch, and similarly Marnus Labuschagne will be hoping to make amends for his failures. Steve Smith and Mitchell Marsh will also look to address their concerns.
To add to Australia’s woes, their best batter in the series, Travis Head remains a doubtful starter after sustaining a quad injury, and thus there could be more responsibility on the in-form wicketkeeper-batter Alex Carrey, who has silently contributed to their victories in more ways than his primary role behind the stumps.
In the bowling department, Scott Boland will make his way back into the attack after Josh Hazlewood was ruled out of the series with a calf strain. Boland, who impressed with five wickets in Adelaide, will hope to use the opportunity to graduate from a back-up option to a first-choice pacer in the team.
Squads:
Australia: Pat Cummins (c), Sean Abbott, Scott Boland, Alex Carey (wk), Travis Head, Josh Inglis, Usman Khawaja, Sam Konstas, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Marsh, Jhye Richardson, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Beau Webster.
India: Rohit Sharma (c), Jasprit Bumrah, Ravindra Jadeja, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Dhruv Jurel (wk), Sarfaraz Khan, Virat Kohli, Prasidh Krishna, Rishabh Pant (wk), KL Rahul, Harshit Rana, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Shubman Gill, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Mohammed Siraj, Washington Sundar, Tanush Kotian.