Melbourne: After an eight-wicket loss to Australia within three days in the pink-ball Test in Adelaide, India san Virat Kohli have an uphill task in hand in the Boxing Day Test, starting on Friday at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), which will host its 31st consecutive Boxing Day Test match.
India led by Ajinkya Rahane will not only have to avoid a defeat but to defend the match that they won by 137 runs in the last tour Down Under. With fast bowler Mohammed Shami has been ruled out of the tour due to a fractured hand, Indian team management has brought in youngster Mohammed Siraj to fill the big shoes. Siraj will be joined by another debutante Shubman Gill.
While Rahane, whose own form is under the scanner, and Cheteshwar Pujara will lead the batting department, Umesh Yadav, being an experienced paceman, will have to do the most unfamiliar job- leading the Indian pace attack against the buoyant Aussies.
It must be noted that in 2018 Boxing Day Test, Pujara had scored 106 off 319 balls while Kohli and Rohit Sharma registered a half-century each. Unfortunately, Kohli and Rohit are not available this time around.
In India's previous victory, which was their only third win at the MCG in 72 years, absence of Steve Smith and David Warner had played a big role. With a batting department that had little depth, Australia fell perry to mighty Indian pace attack figuring Bumrah, the Man of the Match awardee for 9 for 86, Shami and Ishant Sharma.
Now on Friday India have to take to the field without Shami and Ishant that is already a big blow for the team.
But besides all these concerns, India have another fear to foil. In the Adelaide pink-ball Test, their 36 runs drubbing at the hand of Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins raised serious concern regarding Indian batsmen's defensive technique at the Australian conditions. Because of this reason, MCG pitch has grabbed the attention of one and all ahead of 2020 Boxing Day Test.
With former Australia players forecasting that Rahane's India will be blown away by Australia at MCG, India have to first make sure that they don't concede the match before the fifth day and go for the win instead of a draw.
The pitch at MCG has always been sporting. Its conditions have always supported both bowlers and batsmen. In the previous two Tests, both winning sides put up 400+ totals on board and won by comprehensive margins - India by 137 runs and Australia defeated New Zealand by 247 runs.
At the same time, seam bowlers received ample assistance from the MCG pitch. While Bumrah took 6 for 33 in the first innings, Cummins grabbed a fifer for 28. In the 2019 Boxing Day Test, Travis Head was adjudged Man of the Match for his 114.
With Cummins and Hazlewood have been in fiery form, Head will look to regain his form after a poor showing at the Adelaide Oval.
It will not be out of place to say that MCG Boxing Day Test dishes out a good contest between batsmen and bowlers, but Australia with their experienced players in the rank will have an edge over the visitors.
