The much-anticipated fourth Test match of the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy is set to commence on Thursday (Boxing Day) at Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne. The series is currently tied at 1-1 and the fourth Test match is poised to be a decider. Both teams are eyeing a crucial victory to take the lead ahead of the final Test.
Intense competition has been witnessed so far in the series and the Boxing Day Test is expected to be more challenging than the previous encounters. India secured an impressive win in the first Test, putting them on the front foot. However, Australia bounced back strongly in the second Test, levelling the series. The third Test, which witnessed frequent rain interruptions, ended in a dramatic draw, leaving both teams with a sense of unfinished business. With the series currently tied, the fourth Test carries immense significance, and the stakes couldn't be higher.
As the match approaches, Australia have confirmed their playing XI for the Boxing Day Test. Australia have made two changes to their lineup, bringing in Scott Boland and Sam Konstas. Sam Konstas is set to debut, replacing Nathan McSweeney, while Boland has been brought in for the injured Josh Hazlewood.
The match will start at 5:00 AM IST.
Australia XI: Usman Khawaja, Sam Konstas, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Travis Head, Mitch Marsh, Alex Carey (wk), Pat Cummins (c), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Scott Boland
India Probable XI: Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant (wk), Rohit Sharma (c), Ravindra Jadeja, Nitesh Kumar Reddy, Akash Deep, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj