How Will The MCG Pitch Behave On Day 2 Of India-Australia Test Match?

Bhargav Dixit∙ Updated: Dec 26 2024, 10:08 PM

MCG hosted 87,242 people on Day 1. [Source: @MCG/X]MCG hosted 87,242 people on Day 1. [Source: @MCG/X]

You have to give the first day of the ongoing fourth Border-Gavaskar Trophy Test match to Australia for scoring 311/6 in 86 overs after winning the toss and electing to bat first. Having batted 68 times in first innings of a Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground until today, the hosts averaged 326.57.

Barring a dramatic batting collapse on the morning of the second day, Australia should easily be able to surpass this mark within the first few overs on Friday.

While the first day of the last Melbourne Test was affected due to rain, 234/11 were scored in 2022, 246/11 in 2021 and 231/11 in 2020 featuring India. With the Aussies clearly scoring around 75 runs more while losing five less wickets as per the aforementioned day average, Indian batters shouldn’t worry a lot with regard to chasing a higher first innings total as compared to the series average.

"It probably won't be as much seam in this as probably the Shield games. As you go to that next level, bowlers get a bit more out of it than in the Shield. So we tend to pull it back just that fraction for Test match cricket, because the quality of players goes up. But in terms of pace, bounce and the excitement, then we're looking for exactly the same in all our long-format pitches," MCG head curated Matt Page told ESPNcricinfo on Tuesday.

MCG Pitch Report On Day 2

While there was decent seam movement on the 6mm grass arranged for this match, a positive approach on the part of the hosts allowed them to cross the 300-run mark. With weather not expected to change drastically, one doesn’t expect much change regarding the pitch as well.

Thus, if the Indian batters apply themselves, there is enough to extract from this surface. Apart from the sunshine, a primary reason behind the same is how a little bit of grass will be shaved off before play begins on Day 2.

Statistically speaking, 325/13 were scored on Day 2 of last year’s Boxing Day Test here. The year before, the Aussies had amassed 341/2 against South Africa. During Ashes 2021, 237/13 were scored on the second day. In 2020, the last time when Australia had lost an MCG Test, India had scored 241/4 on Day 2 which included then captain Ajinkya Rahane’s match-winning century.

As far as the average second innings total at this venue is concerned, 310.96 means that India should also be able to cross the dreaded 300-run barrier either tomorrow or the day after.