Boxing Day Test: Australia won the toss, decided to bat against India at MCG

By Sandy Verma On Dec 26, 2024

Australia�मेलबर्न : Pat Cummins-led Australia won the toss and elected to bat against Rohit Sharma-led India in the Boxing Day Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Thursday. Team India has had an excellent record in the recent Boxing Day Test, with the Rohit Sharma-led side winning two of the last three matches while drawing one.

Currently, the ongoing BGT series is tied at 1-1, with both the teams looking to take a crucial lead in the series to strengthen their claim for the ICC World Test Championship final.

Earlier last week, Australia made a few changes to their team in the absence of Josh Hazlewood and concerns at the top of the order. The host team has included Beau Webster, Jhye Richardson and Sam Konstas in the squad before the fourth Test match of the series. Also, Australia's playing eleven will include uncapped Under-19 batting sensation Sam Constas, who will open with Usman Khawaja.

Constas played a key role in Australia's ICC Under-19 World Cup 2024 victory, scoring 191 runs in seven innings at an average of 27.28, including a century. He also featured in the two-match series between Australia A and India A ahead of the Border–Gavaskar Trophy, in which he scored 92 runs in four innings, including a match-winning 73*. In the warm-up pink-ball game against India, he dominated the field with a brilliant innings of 107 runs off 97 balls against a formidable Indian attack.

Speaking at the toss, India captain Rohit Sharma confirmed that Shubman Gill will miss the Boxing Day Test and Washington Sundar has made it into the playing eleven. The captain said that he will bat in the top order.

“We would have batted as well. The series is tied 1-1, there is a lot to play for, it gives us a great opportunity to show what we are as a team. Whatever situation you face, you have to fight. It's a new day and we have a change – Gill is out and coming in. (On whether he will bat at the top of the order?) Yes, I will. ” Rohit said.

Australia captain Pat Cummins said that Sam Constas will open the batting with Usman Khawaja. “We'll be batting today. There's a bit of grass, like the old MCG wicket. It's been a great series so far. As a kid in Australia when you wake up, after Christmas, you get a good sleep, and you go to the first ball. Let's wait and see. Sam will open the batting and Scott will also replace Hazlewood,” Cummins said.

Australia Playing XI: Usman Khawaja, Sam Konstans, Marnus Labuschagne, Steven Smith, Travis Head, Mitchell Marsh, Alex Carey (wk), Pat Cummins (c), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Scott Boland.

India's playing XI: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rohit Sharma (C), KL Rahul, Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant (WK), Ravindra Jadeja, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Akash Deep. (ANI)