 "India will be aiming to retain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy with a victory in the 'Boxing Day Test against Australia in Melbourne. AP")
The five-match Test series between India and Australia was expected to be full of drama and action, and boy has it delivered so far. From Jasprit Bumrah’s match-winning spells and KL Rahul silencing his critics in style to Travis Head continuing to make merry at the expense of the Indian bowlers, it has been quite the contest between the two top sides so far.
Additionally, a Test series between these two nations would be incomplete without a bit of controversy, and the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy has already had its fair share in the form of the heated exchange between Head and Mohammed Siraj among others. And with two Tests still to go, there could be even more drama in the business end of the series.
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With the two teams set to lock horns in a couple of days’ time after a week-long break, here’s everything you need to know about the fourth Test:
When and where will the fourth Test between India and Australia take place?
The fourth Test between India and Australia will take place at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne between 26 to 30 December.
What are the session timings in IST for the fourth Test between India and Australia?
Morning session: 5 am to 7 am
Lunch break: 7 am to 7.40 am
Afternoon session: 7.40 am to 9.40 am
Tea break: 9.40 am to 10 am
Evening session: 10 am to 12 pm.
Toss will take place at 4.30 am on Day 1. Additionally, stumps can be extended by 30 minutes each day if the minimum number of overs required in a day’s play (90) are not bowled.
Impact Shorts
More ShortsWhere can I watch the fourth Test between India and Australia live?
The ‘Boxing Day Test’ will be telecast live on the Star Sports Network on TV and will also be streamed live on the Disney Plus Hotstar website and mobile application. The match will also be aired live on Doordarshan Sports.
What will the pitch be like at the MCG for the fourth Test between India and Australia?
While the Melbourne Cricket Ground offers support for fast bowlers, though not quite at the same level as Perth and Brisbane, it has been something of a batting paradise among the Australian Test venues in recent years.
Curator Matt Page, however, hinted at preparing a pace-friendly deck for the upcoming Test by leaving about 6 millimetres of grass.
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“Seven years ago, we were quite flat. We sat down as an organisation and said we want to create more exciting contests, more exciting test matches, so we leave more grass on them now. That brings the bowlers into it a bit more, but they are still good for batting once the new ball goes off.
“So we have been running at six mils the last couple of years. We will sort of monitor that as we get in, but we have been really happy with the last couple of years, so it is a rinse and repeat job for us at this stage,” Page told reporters at the MCG ahead of the ‘Boxing Day Test’ in the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy.