Melbourne Cricket Ground Pitch Report For India vs Australia 4th Test

Melbourne Cricket Ground [Source: @MCG/X]

On Thursday, India will cross swords against Australia in the fourth Test of the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy. The high-octane encounter will be played at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground. 

Led by Rohit Sharma, India have had a topsy-turvy journey in this year's Border-Gavaskar Trophy. The visitors kickstarted their campaign with a clinical victory in Perth before the Aussies bounced back, restoring parity in the pink ball Test. The rain-marred third Test at The Gabba ended in a stalemate, setting the tone for a riveting contest at MCG in pursuit of an unassailable lead. 

With the series levelled one-all, a cracking battle is expected in the Boxing Day Test. Before the game begins, let's see how the surface at Melbourne Cricket Ground will behave throughout the match. 

Melbourne Cricket Ground Stats And Records In Tests

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Melbourne Cricket Ground Pitch Report: Is It Batting Or Bowling Friendly?

MCG Pitch a day before IND vs AUS 4th Test [Source: @RevSportzGlobal/X]

The surface at Melbourne Cricket Ground has been more seam-friendly of late, as its curator Matt Page has prepared result-oriented wickets since the 2017 Ashes. As a result, the venue hasn't witnessed a single drawn affair in the previous six Boxing Day Tests. 

So, with the scoreline reading 1-1, expect a pace-friendly surface at the iconic venue for the much-awaited clash. The fast bowlers will get a hint of seam movement and some tennis-ball bounce, which have been the characteristics of the MCG track over the last few years. 

However, as the temperature will be on the higher side of 35 degrees Celsius, the pitch will likely lose its moisture and favour the batters as the game progresses. The weather conditions are expected to be ideal for batting on day two, and the track might start to deteriorate from the fag end of day three. 

If the heat wave persists in Melbourne, the pitch will eventually bring spinners and hit-the-deck pacers into play on the final two days. So, considering the playing conditions, the toss-winner will likely opt to bat first. 

Players To Watch Out For At Melbourne Cricket Ground

Scott Boland

• The veteran fast bowler replaced Josh Hazlewood in Australia's playing XI for the fourth Test. MCG is Boland's home ground and he has incredible numbers at this venue. 
• In two Tests, Boland has scalped ten wickets at this venue and could trouble the Indian batters with his nagging accuracy around the fourth stump line. 

KL Rahul

• India's experienced opener KL Rahul has been outstanding in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Rahul is India's most successful batter in the series with 235 runs under his belt.
• Rahul has performed admirably on challenging pitches and it's time for him to capitalise on MCG's playing conditions, which could be slightly more conducive to batting. 

Travis Head

• Australia's swashbuckling batter Travis Head has been a thorn in India's side in this BGT. The southpaw has showcased remarkable form, amassing 409 runs at a blistering strike rate of 94.24. 
• Although he doesn't have great numbers at MCG, Head's recent form and Melbourne's hot weather might pave the way for another masterclass from his bat. 

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