Australia vs India,4th Test,India tour of Australia, 2024-25,2024-12-25 23:30 GMT

Australia vs India 4th Test Match Preview

Date: December 26, 2024

Time: 23:30 GMT

Venue: Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne

The highly anticipated 4th Test match between Australia and India is set to commence on December 26, 2024, at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground. The series is currently tied at 1-1, with one match ending in a draw due to rain. The stakes are high, and both teams will be looking to gain a crucial advantage in the series.

Team India's Probable Playing XI

India's team management is likely to stick with the same XI, despite some inconsistent performances from their batters. The probable playing XI includes:

• 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

Team Australia's Predicted XI

Australia is set to make a couple of changes to their XI, with Scott Boland and Sam Konstas replacing Josh Hazlewood and Nathan McSweeney. The predicted XI includes:

• Sam Konstas
• Usman Khawaja
• Marnus Labuschagne
• Steven Smith
• Travis Head
• Alex Carey (wk)
• Mitchell Marsh
• Mitchell Starc
• Pat Cummins (c)
• Scott Boland
• Nathan Lyon

Head-to-Head Record

Australia has the upper hand in the head-to-head record, with 46 wins out of 108 Test matches played between the two teams. India has won 33 matches, while 29 have ended in draws.

Pitch Report

The Melbourne Cricket Ground is known for its bounce and speed, providing a challenge to batters at the beginning of the game. The pacers can expect help from the surface, particularly on Days 1 and 2, while spinners come into play as the match progresses into Days 4 and 5.

Key Players to Watch

• Jasprit Bumrah: India's pace attack leader has been in exceptional form, picking up 21 wickets in the series so far.
• Travis Head: Australia's middle-order batter has been in stunning form, scoring a century in the third Test.
• Virat Kohli: India's batting mainstay will be looking to return to form after a few inconsistent performances.
• Pat Cummins: Australia's pace attack leader has been relentless, causing trouble to India's batters repeatedly.

Match Prediction

Given the current form and team dynamics, Australia is likely to have an upper hand in the 4th Test match. However, India has the potential to bounce back, and the match is expected to be a closely contested one. The team that adapts better to the conditions and capitalizes on crucial moments will likely emerge victorious.