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The Border Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) 2024/25 resumes to action as the caravan now moves to Melbourne. The Victoria capital will be home for both teams over the next five days as they go in search of a win at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG).
The iconic stadium plays host in the customary ‘Boxing Day’ Test as Australia play India in the penultimate Test of the five-match series.
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The series currently stands at a stalemate after the rain-affected third Test in Gabba ended in a draw. India started off with a flyer, claiming a 295-run win at the Optus Stadium in Perth.
The hosts, soon after, emerged victorious by a 10-wicket margin in the pink-ball Test in Adelaide.
Best performers in BGT 2024/25 Tests: Top 5 run scorers | Top 5 wicket-takers
Follow our live blog for the 4th Test as both teams take the field at the MCG.
Follow the live scorecard of Australia vs India 4th BGT Test Match in Adelaide Click here!
4th BGT Test: Melbourne Cricket Ground Pitch Report | How to watch the 4th BGT Test in India? | Weather report in Melbourne | WTC standings
12:33 pm: STUMPS! Day 1: Australia finish the day on top. Sam Konstas, on debut, set a strong foundation with a fearless approach, taking on India’s best bowler, Bumrah, and winning that battle. His efforts helped Australia post their first 50+ opening partnership of the series, ensuring the other batters weren’t exposed to the new ball. AUS 311/6
12:12 pm: WICKET! Akash Deep to Carey, out Caught by Pant! Akash Deep finally gets a wicket after troubling the batters all day. He bowled consistently well, especially to the left-handers, and with the second new ball, he delivered a perfect delivery that Carey could only glove to Pant. AUS 299/6
MORE: Fans’ reaction to Kohli’s confrontation with Sam Konstas? Ricky Ponting’s comment, Konstas’ favourite player, ICC ‘physical conduct’ rule explained
11:25 am: FIFTY! Bumrah to Smith, 1 run, and Smith reaches his fifty with a confident knock. After scoring a century in the previous Test, he has looked more in control today, handling both spinners and pacers with ease. AUS 252/5
11:17 am: WICKET! Mitchell Marsh falls to Bumrah, edging a mistimed pull to Pant. Australia’s collapse continues, losing three wickets for just 9 runs, shifting the momentum back to India. AUS 246/5
11:07 am: WICKET! Head is bowled for a duck by Bumrah, misjudging a delivery that nipped in slightly. Rohit’s decision to bring Bumrah back with an attacking field paid off brilliantly for India. AUS 240/4
MORE: What is Travis Head’s record against India in international cricket?
11:00 am: WICKET! Labuschagne falls after a solid knock of 72, caught by Kohli off Sundar’s bowling. His attempted big shot failed as he mistimed it, giving India a crucial breakthrough. AUS 237/3
10:11 am: FIFTY! Labuschagne reaches his second fifty of the series, looking solid and confident now. He guided a seaming delivery past gully for two runs, showing good control. AUS 190/2
09:40 am: TEA BREAK! India bowled better in this session but managed only one wicket as Khawaja reached fifty before a soft dismissal. Labuschagne fought hard, but a slow pitch and missed edges suggest a tough road ahead for the bowlers. AUS 176/2
9:09 am: WICKET! Soft dismissal for Usman Khawaja as he pulls a nothing delivery on short of good length onto his thigh pad straight to KL Rahul standing at midwicket. Beaten for a lack of pace. Bumrah, Khawaja and KL Rahul all are surprised. Khawaja c Rahul b Bumrah 57(121). AUS 154/2.
Steve Smith comes in at 4 for Australia.
8:47 am: Fifty partnership! Marnus and Khawaja get to the fifty run partnership after losing Konstas at 89. They have taken their time but with both struggling for form, they will take it with both their hands. AUS 139/1.
8:22 am: FIFTY! Usman Khawaja gets to his fifty after a string of low scores. He has worked hard for it as he brings it up with a four off an edge on Akash Deep’s ball. Khawaja 50*(101).
MORE: Konstas ends Bumrah’s 4483-ball streak: List of 6s conceded by the Indian pacer in Tests
7:00 am: LUNCH! Australia will take the session as they scored 112/1 in just 25 overs, thanks to Sam Konstas’ blistering 60(65) on debut.
6:37 am: WICKET! End of a special debut knock for Sam Konstas as he gets plumbed in front of the wickets off Ravindra Jadeja on a full delivery that came straight and hit his back pad. He looks at Khawaja who doesn’t seem interested in a review and the 19-year-old has 75,000+ people on their feet. Konstas lbw Jadeja 60(65). AUS 89/1.
Marnus Labuschagne walks in at 3.
6:06 am: FIFTY! Maiden Test fifty for Sam Konstas on his debut. He brings it up in just 52 balls while catching the Indian bowlers off guard early on Day 1. He takes a double off Siraj to bring it up. Konstas 50*(52). AUS 71/0.
5:55 am: Fifty partnership! Sam Konstas has taken this game by the scruff of it’s neck and taken on Bumrah here as Usman Khawaja and Konstas get to a fifty partnership.
Konstas now has the equal most sixes against Bumrah in Tests. The last six against Bumrah in a Test was 2021. pic.twitter.com/Tfjlc6GE4k
— Jarrod Kimber (@ajarrodkimber) December 26, 2024
5:24 AM: Konstas attemps the reverse scoop Bumrah for the second time in his first 18 balls on Test debut, but failed to connect the ball on both occasions as Virat Kohli cannot control his smile watching the Aussie youngster’s boldness. IND 6/0 (5 overs)
5:15 AM: India lose their first review after challenging the umpire’s LBW decision. The ball however was missing the stumps as Usman Khawaja was long way out of his crease.
5:00 AM: Aussie debutant Sam Konstas takes strike against India’s talisman bowler Jasprit Bumrah, and survives all six balls in the first over.
4:31 AM: Rohit Sharma confirms one change at the toss and are going in with two spinners – Shubman Gill OUT Washington Sundar IN.
The Indian captain confirms that he will bat “at the top” of the order.
KL Rahul has now been slotted in at No. 3, bringing back the opening combo of Yashavi Jaiswal and Rohit Sharma, according to BCCI’s official X account.
04:30 AM: Australia won the toss and opted to bat first. Two confirmed changes for the hosts – Sam Konstas and Scott Boland IN
04:25 am: Hello and welcome to TSN’s live coverage of the fourth Test between India and Australia in the Border Gavaskar Trophy 2024/25. Both teams would aim to take the decisive lead going into the final Test in Sydney. While Australia are firm favourites for a spot in the World Test Championship (WTC) 2025 final, a win for India in Melbourne could only spice things up!
India confirmed XI: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rohit Sharma (c), KL Rahul, Virat Kohli, (c) Rishabh Pant (wk), Nitish Reddy, Washington Sundar, Ravindra Jadeja, Akash Deep, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammad Siraj
Australia confirmed XI: Usman Khawaja, Sam Konstas, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Travis Head, Alex Carey (wk), Mitchell Marsh, Pat Cummins (c), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Scott Boland.
The pitch at the Melbourne Cricket Ground is known to be very competitive. It gives a good balance for both bowlers and batsmen.
Early in the game, bowlers can benefit from the pitch, which offers nice bounce. As the game goes on and the pitch gets older, batsmen can play their shots more easily.
However, spinners usually find it hard to get much help from this pitch. Since 1996, the MCG has used drop-in pitches for its matches.
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The Melbourne Cricket Ground has hosted 117 Test matches so far. The team batting first have won 57 times, while the team batting second have won 42 times. There have been 18 draws/no result at this venue in Tests.
| Team | Won |
|---|---|
| Batting First | 57 |
| Batting Second | 42 |
| Draw/No Result | 18 |
| Average first innings score in Melbourne | 307 |
|---|---|
| Matches won after batting first | 57 |
| Matches won by chasing team | 42 |
The highest score by a team in Tests at the Melbourne Cricket Ground is 624/8 declared, scored by Australia against Pakistan in December 2016. This record-breaking total was powered by captain Steven Smith’s unbeaten 165, David Warner’s 144, and Usman Khawaja’s 97.
Despite rain interruptions that lost 141 overs, Australia dominated the match and secured an innings win.
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The lowest score by a team at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Tests is 36/10, made by South Africa in the 1931-32 series against Australia. On a slightly soft pitch, Australia’s bowlers, led by Bert Ironmonger with figures of 5/6, and Laurie Nash, dismissed South Africa in just over 90 minutes.
The highest individual score at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Tests is 307, made by Australia’s Bob Cowper during a match against England in 1966. Cowper’s remarkable innings included twenty 4s and lasted over twelve hours.
His performance, along with a solid partnership with fellow batsman Bill Lawry, helped to set a strong foundation for Australia in what became a slow and uneventful final Test match due to time-wasting and rain interruptions.
The best bowling figure at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Tests is 9 wickets for 86 runs, achieved by Sarfraz Nawaz during a match between Australia and Pakistan in 1979. Sarfraz’s extraordinary performance helped Pakistan dismiss Australia in a dramatic turnaround, taking the final 7 wickets in just 33 deliveries.
His match figures of 11 wickets for 125 runs earned him the Man of the Match award.
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Donald Bradman has scored an impressive total of 1671 runs in Melbourne in 11 Tests, which includes 9 centuries and 3 half-centuries. He has a massive average of 128.53 at the venue, with a highest score of 270 runs.
The record for most wickets taken in Tests at Melbourne Cricket Ground is held by Australia’s Dennis Lillee. The pacer had bagged 82 wickets at Melbourne.
According to Dafabet, Australia are the favourites to win the 4th Test match against India in Melbourne.
| Team | Betting odds |
| India | 2.46 |
| Australia | 1.53 |
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