A total of six debut caps were handed out across the Zimbabwe and Afghanistan XIs after the hosts opted to bat in the Boxing Day Test of Bulawayo. Zimbabwe captain Craig Ervine announced maiden Test caps for left-hand batter Ben Curran, brother of Sam and Tom Curran, and seam bowlers Trevor Gwandu and Newman Nyamhuri, while Afghanistan captain Hashmatullah Shahidi named opener Sediqullah Atal, allrounder Azmatullah Omarzai and spinner AM Ghazanfar as the debutants.
For Afghanistan, Atal will slot in as opener, while Omarzai will shore up their batting from No. 5. Omarzai will also offer his medium-pace bowling, while right-arm offspinner Ghazanfar will partner left-arm wristspinner Zahir Khan and part-time left-arm spinner Zia-ur-Rehman. Rashid Khan was not available for selection; he had pulled out of the first Test owing to personal reasons.
As for Zimbabwe, their seam bowling is rather inexperienced with debutants Gwandu and Nyamhuri to bowl alongside Blessing Muzarabani. The allrounder’s spot went to Brian Bennett, leaving both Sikandar Raza and Johnathan Campbell on the bench.
This encounter marks Afghanistan’s maiden Boxing Day Test match and Zimbabwe’s first at home since 1996. Neither side has won a Test in nearly four years, with their last Test victories coming against each other in March 2021. While sunny conditions welcomed both sides for the first ball, rain and thunderstorms are forecast for later in the day.
Zimbabwe: 1 Joylord Gumbie, 2 Ben Curran, 3 Takudzwanashe Kaitano, 4 Sean Williams, 5 Dion Myers, 6 Craig Ervine (capt), 7 Brian Bennett, 8 Brandon Mavuta, 9 Newman Nyamhuri, 10 Trevor Gwandu, 11 Blessing Muzarabani
Australia 311 for 6 (Smith 68*, Cummins 8*, Labuschagne 72, Bumrah 3-75) vs India
Sam Konstas, the 19-year-old making his Test debut, lit up the MCG with an audacious display of strokeplay against Jasprit Bumrah which in the process riled Virat Kohli on a compelling Boxing Day at the MCG. The world’s best fast bowler still had a significant say with three wickets although it was Australia who edged the honours with their top four all passing fifty.
By stumps, Steven Smith was the key figure in how much further Australia’s first innings would be able to extend as he eyed his second hundred in three innings after Bumrah had sparked a middle-order wobble. Yet it was the opening passage of the Test that could well go down as defining.
Within an hour of his first Test innings Konstas, who became his country’s fourth-youngest men’s player, was the most talked-about figure in the game having brazenly taken 32 off two overs from Bumrah. While he was stopped on 60 off 65 balls, he had already written himself a chapter among the most remarkable debuts and more than repaid the selectors’ desire to provide something different at the top of the order after Nathan McSweeney’s struggles.
Bumrah still pocketed key top-order scalps of Usman Khawaja, the prolific Travis Head and Mitchell Marsh although it did little to downplay talk India are over-reliant on him. The latter two came as Australia lost 3 for 9 in the final session with Akash Deep then claiming a much-deserved wicket with the second new ball when he removed Alex Carey to end the fourth significant partnership of the innings.
Khawaja, Smith and Marnus Labuschagne all brought up half-centuries at more sedate tempos than Konstas. It was the first time since Rawalpindi in 2022 that Australia’s top four had all reached fifty in the same innings. Khawaja and Labuschagne will have been left wondering what could have been but Smith played a vital role in keeping Australia ahead.
But it was all about how the day started. Konstas’ first over in Test cricket was against Bumrah and consisted of four plays and misses. Off his eighth delivery he worked a brace into the leg side to a loud ovation and two deliveries later signaled his intent with an attempt to reverse scoop Bumrah which brought a combination of cheers and gasps.
He missed another an over later and with Mohammed Siraj also troubling Khawaja, Australia were 12 without loss after six overs when Konstas unleashed a passage of play that will never be forgotten. Off Bumrah’s fourth over he scooped to fine leg, reverse scooped for six over deep third and was an inch away from repeating it three balls later.
He had dispatched the world’s leading bowler for 14 but wasn’t done there. In Bumrah’s sixth over he took him for 18, this time by peppering the boundary with drives including lofting a slower ball over wide long-on. By this point, he had been shoulder-checked by Kohli between overs with Khawaja trying to act as peacemaker with all eyes on how the match referee would adjudicate the confrontation.
Not long after, a quickly run two brought up his fifty from 52 balls and he grabbed the Australian emblem on his shirt while pointing to the name on the back. What were you doing as a 19-year-old on Boxing Day? The mind started to wander towards something even more spectacular, but Ravindra Jadeja trapped Konstas lbw in a manner many a more experienced batter has been removed.
The tempo then reverted to something more traditional: the stand of 89 between Konstas and Khawaja took 116 balls, the next of 65 between Khawaja and Labuschagne required 150. The afternoon session started with four consecutive maidens from Bumrah and Akash, the latter again bowling without luck. Both batters had edges fall short of slip and another from Khawaja which bisected the cordon took him to just his second fifty of the year.
India were largely keeping the scoreboard under control but were not overly threatening, only for Khawaja to toe-end a pull against the first ball of Bumrah’s third spell to midwicket which left the bowler a little embarrassed to celebrate.
Labuschagne was still not quite at his fluent best, but was looking as good as he had all series with some delicate glides to third off Jadeja and the types of drives to suggest better days lie ahead for Australia’s No. 3. There was a shift in gears after tea with Labuschagne and Smith adding 41 in the first six overs of the final session against the older ball, although there remained enough assistance from the surface to challenge the batters as another luckless spell from Akash showed.
However, the door was opened for India by offspinner Washington Sundar, who had been brought into the side in place of Shubman Gill, when Labuschagne picked out mid-off with a skimming drive the ball after a drinks break. Labuschagne threw his head back as Kohli took the catch, knowing the chance of a first Test century since last July had gone begging.
Rohit Sharma sensed a moment and immediately brought back Bumrah and against his third delivery Travis Head shouldered arms to one that clipped his off stump. A batter who has caused India nightmares with his attacking strokeplay departed not offering a shot. In Bumrah’s next over Mitchell Marsh, having slotted away one thumping cover drive, edged an expansive pull to continue what has been a lean series after the summer of his life in 2023-24.
As the ground rose for the hats-off commemoration of Shane Warne at 3.50pm (to match Warne’s Test cap number), Smith had slotted consecutive boundaries off Jadeja when Australia looked to be taking control but now his presence was vital in ensuring the innings didn’t lose its way. He and Carey added 53 before Akash produced a terrific delivery from round the wicket. Smith remained firm and walked off to warm applause from those who remained of an 87,242 crowd but it was nothing compared to the ovations earlier in the day.
Andrew McGlashan is a deputy editor at ESPNcricinfo
India’s senior batter Virat Kohli and Australia’s latest debutant Sam Konstas had a mid-pitch altercation in the first session of the ongoing MCG Test. The incident occurred after the 10th over of the morning when Kohli and Konstas bumped shoulders while moving across the pitch between overs.
Both players immediately looked back for a heated exchange of words before Konstas’ opening partner Usman Khawaja came in between, although the verbal duel didn’t last that long.
Replays that emerged later in the session showed that Konstas had turned around from the crease and was walking straight towards the other end whereas Kohli – while tossing the ball in his hand – went from way outside the pitch straight towards Konstas and bumped into him.
“I think the emotions got to both of us,” Konstas later told Channel 7 in the second session. “I didn’t quite realise, I was doing my gloves, then a little shoulder charge, but it happens in cricket.”
“Have a look at where Virat walks,” former Australia captain Ricky Ponting observed while commentating on Channel 7 while watching the replay of the incident. “Virat’s walked one whole pitch over to his right and instigated that confrontation. No doubt in my mind, whatsoever.”
Former umpire Simon Taufel also spoke to Channel 7 about the incident and said that could qualify as “inappropriate physical contact” under the ICC’s Code of Conduct.
“This long shot that’s been provided by the director is really interesting because it shows Virat Kohli actually changing his line to get into the personal space of Sam Konstas. Now, there’s a clause within the ICC Code of Conduct that talks about inappropriate physical contact and that’s the clause that the umpires and the referee will be looking at, at close of play today to see whether or not Virat’s actions fall into that category and my suggestion would be that they’ll probably – looking at that seriously – more than likely do something about that now.”
Konstas, 19, made his Test debut with a rollicking half-century off just 52 balls, by taking on the best bowler of the series, Jasprit Bumrah, who had dismissed Nathan McSweeney four times in six innings in the first three Tests. Konstas replaced McSweeney for this Test and was batting on 27 off 38 at the time of the altercation with Kohli, and had already reverse-scooped Bumrah for a six over the slips. The reverse had followed a more straightforward scoop which had fetched him four runs after moving across and flicking the ball over the wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant.
Konstas was on 5 off 21 before unleashing those shots off Bumrah and finished on 60 off 65 with six fours and two sixes, when he was trapped lbw from around the wicket by Ravindra Jadeja towards the lunch break.
Big Picture: Bulawayo’s first Boxing Day Test in 28 years
The final week of the year is like a roman feast for the Test cricket fan, and Boxing Day this year promises mouth-watering contests in Melbourne and Centurion, but look this way too, will you? Bulawayo is set to host Zimbabwe’s first Boxing Day Test in 28 years too, and with unpredictable Afghanistan on the other side, a real tussle is expected between two teams, who despite their recent underwhelming performances, would feel like they’re favourites. After all, the last time either side won a Test was against each other.
But that was way back in 2021. Since then, they have not found a way to win. And one look at the Zimbabwe and Afghanistan squads for this two-Test series suggests that they’re both looking to change that by taking a different direction for 2025 and beyond. A splattering of Test debutants are expected – theoretically, there could be as many 15 debuts across the two XIs – and this series could very well be the one that births a new generation.
The keys to success, nonetheless, will still be best known by the experienced heads on both sides. Craig Ervine, Sikandar Raza, Sean Williams, Blessing Muzarabani, Hashmatullah Shahidi and Rahmat Shah, but Rashid Khan has made himself unavailable due to personal reasons for the opening Test. He had originally made himself available for both Tests after recovering from injury, with teen spinner AM Ghazanfar being added to the squad late on Tuesday to accommodate his absence.
However, all the headlines could be stolen by the weather unfortunately. Like Afghanistan’s last encounter in Greater Noida that got washed out without the toss, this one could go to similar territory, although some action is promised every day amid forecasts of rain and thunderstorms every afternoon.
(last five completed matches, most recent first) Zimbabwe LLDLL Afghanistan ALLLW
In the spotlight: Ben Curran and Ghazanfar
Zimbabwe have been looking for one person to hold onto one position in their top order for a long time, and potential debutant Ben Curran could be one to steady the wobble. Left-hand batter Curran – the middle brother of England internationals Tom and Sam, and son of former Zimbabwe international Kevin Curran – has been rewarded for being the leading run-scorer of the Logan Cup this season, averaging 74.14 in seven innings with two centuries and two fifties. However, he has had a difficult start to his international career, with scores of 12, 0, and 15 in the three ODIs against Afghanistan.
Could 18-year-old AM Ghazanfar walk into the Test XI right away? A late addition to the squad, Ghazanfar has not played any first-class cricket, but his T20 average of 11.62 and ODI average of 13.57 makes him an exciting prospect for any form of cricket. He has been the flavour of the season in T20 leagues around the world, and he spun a web around Zimbabwe with figures of 3 for 9 and 5 for 33 in his last two ODIs. With teams likely to race against time in this Test, a spinner who can run through opponents is a deadly weapon.
Zimbabwe: 1 Joylord Gumbie (wk), 2 Ben Curran, 3 Dion Myers, 4 Craig Ervine (capt), 5 Sikandar Raza, 6 Sean Williams, 7 Brian Bennett, 8 Johnathan Campbell / Brandon Mavuta, 9 Blessing Muzarabani, 10 Richard Ngarava, 11 Newman Nyamhuri
Bulawayo usually offers dry pitch conditions. The surface largely assists fast bowlers and helps spinners later, but with cloudy conditions expected, the fast bowlers may have a bigger role to play across the five days. Rain is forecast across all five days, especially during the second and third sessions.
Pakistan will go into the Boxing Day Test against South Africa at Centurion without a specialist spinner, with seam-bowling allrounder Aamer Jamal accompanied by Naseem Shah, Mohammad Abbas and Khurram Shahzad in the bowling attack. Abdullah Shafique, meanwhile, has paid the price for his all-format loss of form that culminated in three successive ducks during the ODI series, with Kamran Ghulam keeping his place. Babar Azam, who was dropped for the last two Tests against England at home, returns to the XI and is slated to bat at No. 3. That pushes captain Shan Masood up the order to open the batting alongside Saim Ayub.
The bowling attack sees the return of Abbas more than three years after he last played a Test match, while Shahzad returns after a recurring rib injury that first ruled him out for several months after the first Test in Perth last December, and then again after the second Test against Bangladesh in Rawalpindi in September. Naseem was released from the squad partway through the home series against England, meaning allrounder Jamal is the only bowler who also played Pakistan’s most recent Test match.
“Since the Australia series, we’ve backed Aamer Jamal, even in spin conditions,” Pakistan captain Masood had said earlier in the day at the press conference. “He occupied the No. 8 slot and made it his own. There are different aspects to his bowling; he’s not one-dimensional. He’s handy when it reverses and useful at being the enforcer, and he’s equally skillful with the new ball. He’s also impressed everyone with the bat, especially that innings in Sydney and a couple of innings in Multan. The best sides in the world have players at Nos. 7 and 8 who are allrounders, and who allow you to play specialist bowlers.”
Meanwhile, Pakistan’s patience finally ran out with Shafique, who has struggled for form across formats for more than a year. Aside from his most recent horror ODI series, he has had a torrid 2024 in the longest format, too, averaging just over 15 in 12 innings. More than half of his 174 runs during this period came in one innings in Multan on a surface so placid, England registered the fourth-highest total in Test history in the second innings. In his other 11 innings, he reached double figures just twice.
Pakistan had delayed announcing their final XI, with South African captain Temba Bavuma making his side public a full 24 hours earlier. With rain around, and forecast for parts of the Test match, the visitors had mulled over whether to opt for the security of a spinner as opposed to going in all-pace, but on a Centurion wicket that players from both sides acknowledged, looks exceptionally seam-friendly, that option was considered surplus to requirements. They do have the option of Salman Agha, who bowls offspin, and Saud Shakeel’s part-time left-arm spin.
“Batting and seam bowling will be key elements to both lineups,” Masood said. “Both teams go in with the same ideas. South Africa have four seamers, and Corbin Bosch at No. 9, who’s an allrounder. You’ve got to trust the seamers to do well, given how the pitch is looking.”
Big picture – Can Pakistan bring ODI momentum into Test series?
There’s one other Boxing Day Test, but this one is big too. If South Africa win at SuperSport Park, they will guarantee a place in the World Test Championship (WTC) final. If Pakistan win, they will keep outside hopes (so outside that they also require an over-rate penalty for South Africa) of getting to Lord’s alive, but more pressingly they will keep a nation on edge for another week.
In reality, South Africa have some breathing room because they only need to win one of the next two Tests to get to the WTC final. Even with rain hanging around the Highveld, they’ll fancy their chances against a team that has not recorded a Test win in this country in nearly 18 years and not won a Test outside Asia since beating West Indies in August 2021. But pressure does strange things to players, especially South African players, and Pakistan, despite all the drama surrounding them, are a team who could exploit that.
They went through a rotating door of coaches, selectors and administrators before coming to South Africa and were already in the country when their Test coach resigned, two weeks before the start of the series. Still, the build-up to this Boxing Day Test has had none of the shenanigans of Melbourne, mostly because the two sides were preoccupied with an ODI contest that serves as build-up to the Champions Trophy. Ten South Africa and seven Pakistan players from their respective Test squads were involved in that contest, which Pakistan won 3-0. If momentum is a factor, it is surely with them.
South Africa’s batting, in particular, was undone, and worryingly for them three of their top four (Tony de Zorzi, Ryan Rickelton and Tristan Stubbs) all fell to the offspin of Salman Agha in the first ODI. Conditions are unlikely to suit him at SuperSport Park but the mental scars might be there and Temba Bavuma hopes it will be simple to get over them. “Whether it’s easy, whether it’s hard, we’ve got to find a way to do it,” he said. “Whatever, I don’t know, trauma that was there, you know, guys will have to deal with it.”
Bavuma was also quick to remind that the Test space is different as it is where South Africa have more stability and focus with an immediate goal of the WTC final. The opposite might be said of Pakistan, who have won three ODI series in succession and are building towards a home Champions Trophy where they are defending the title.
That may mean the teams head into this match with slightly different priorities in terms of their current form but that won’t minimise the sense of the occasion. A Boxing Day Test with plenty at stake, taking place at the same time as another Boxing Day Test, with even more on the line. It doesn’t get bigger than this.
Form guide
South Africa: WWWWW (last five Tests, most recent first) Pakistan: WWLLL
In the spotlight – Aiden Markram and Mohammad Abbas
It feels like Aiden Markram has had a difficult time of it across formats this year but his main difficulties have come in the format he captains in. He only has one score over 30 from 18 T20Is in 2024, and one fifty from six ODIs hasn’t helped his cause either, but his Test form has shown signs of improving. After a century in the New Year’s Test, Markram made fifties in Providence and Gqeberha and is also someone Bavuma says he “leans a lot on” when it comes to tactics and inspiring younger players. Most of all, Markram enjoys the continued support of his team-mates and Bavuma, in particular, who says he “empathises” with what Markram is going through but “that’s what makes elite sport tough. You’ve got to find a way to go through those challenges. And generally, when you get over to the other side, that’s where the satisfaction is.”
It’s now or never for Mohammad Abbas who, at 34, is set to make his comeback after three years out of the national side seemingly without explanation. Abbas played 25 Tests between April 2017 and August 2021 and took 90 wickets at 23.02, but was discarded in favour of younger quicks despite excellent numbers on the county circuit. He has enjoyed four fruitful seasons at Hampshire where he has taken 180 wickets at 19.26 and finished among the top 10 wicket-takers in 2022 and 2023, and just outside in 2024. This season, he is the joint second-highest wicket-taker in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy and has deservedly earned a recall and will hope to make it count. Abbas is 10 wickets away from 100 in Test cricket and if he gets there, will be the 20th bowler from Pakistan to reach the landmark.
Team news
Both Keshav Maharaj (groin strain) and Wiaan Mulder (broken finger) passed fitness tests ahead of the match but are not deemed match-fit yet. South Africa have chosen to go in without a frontline spinner – and without spin-bowling allrounder Senuran Muthusamy – and opted for a 7-4 split. Corbin Bosch, who bowls above 140kph regularly, will debut at his home ground and share bowling duties with Kagiso Rabada, Dane Paterson and Marco Jansen. Ryan Rickelton has been retained at No.3 with Tristan Stubbs moving to No.4.
South Africa (probable): 1 Tony de Zorzi, 2 Aiden Markram, 3 Ryan Rickelton, 4 Tristan Stubbs, 5 Temba Bavuma (capt), 6 David Bedingham, 7 Kyle Verreynne (wk), 8 Marco Jansen, 9 Kagiso Rabada, 10 Dane Paterson, 11 Corbin Bosch.
Pakistan could follow South Africa’s lead and go all-pace, which would mean no space for Noman Ali, though they would still have Salman Agha at their disposal. In the seam department, then, Abbas, Aamer Jamal and Khurram Shahzad are likely to partner the 21-year old attack leader, Naseem Shah.
Pakistan (probable): 1 Abdullah Shafique, 2 Saim Ayub, 3 Shan Masood (capt), 4 Babar Azam, 5 Saud Shakeel, 6 Mohammad Rizwan (wk), 7 Salman Ali Agha, 8 Aamer Jamal, 9 Khurram Shahzad, 10 Naseem Shah, 11 Mohammad Abbas
Pitch and conditions
There has been significant rainfall on the Highveld in the lead-up to this Test match, which has made pitch preparation at SuperSport Park “difficult” in the words of one source. Two days out, the surface was fairly green which is in keeping with its reputation. Centurion is the most seamer-friendly wicket in the country, which also makes it the most difficult for batters. While Bavuma said he has “never played on a flat Centurion wicket”, days two and three are usually good for run-scoring, but with overhead cloud batters will “know that your work is going to be cut out for you and you’re going to have to work hard for your runs.” The match may also be interrupted with thunderstorms forecast for the first morning and afternoon and the second and third afternoon.
Stats and Trivia
Eight batters have scored Test centuries for South Africa in 2024. It’s their joint-most in a calendar year, and their most in 12 years. They have previously had eight centurions in 2004, 2008 and 2012.
Pakistan have won two of the 15 Tests they’ve played in South Africa, none since 2007, and none of their three at SuperSport Park. Their two wins have come at St George’s Park and Kingsmead, the grounds that hosted the recent Sri Lanka series.
Kagiso Rabada is three wickets away from going past Dale Steyn and becoming the leading wicket-taker at SuperSport Park. Rabada has played just eight Tests at the venue and has only taken fewer than five wickets here on one occasion, against India in 2018. He averages just over seven wickets per Test in Centurion.
Since January 2018, there have been seven Tests at SuperSport Park and a clear advantage for seam bowlers. They have taken 227 wickets at 23.22, compared with 16 wickets at 60.62 by spinners.
Quotes
“We accept and acknowledge the fact that many expectations would have risen on the team. There’ll be pressure that comes with that. But to be honest with you, we’re coming into the series to win the series 2-0. We understand that for us to do that, there’s certain things that we need to do as a team: keep things simple, keep doing the small things right, and allow the results to take care of itself. Obviously, one of those results is qualifying for the WTC final and obviously would like to see ourselves there. But, we’re here now.” Temba Bavuma is keeping South Africa in the present moment even as they chase the big prize of reaching the WTC final
“When I went to Australia, I didn’t get the time to prepare properly. It was my first overseas tour there, and I made mistakes, but also learned what I could change. Here, in similar conditions, I have had the time to prepare and get into a positive frame of mind.” Pakistan batter Saud Shakeel feels he’s in a good space going into the series
Firdose Moonda is ESPNcricinfo’s correspondent for South Africa and women’s cricket
Australia captain Pat Cummins has encouraged Sam Konstas to embrace the naivety of youth during his Test debut against India on Boxing Day in front of what could be more than 90,000 spectators on a sweltering Melbourne day.
Cummins was speaking from first-hand experience having made his debut as an 18-year-old against South Africa in 2011, where he became Australia’s second youngest men’s Test player, with just three first-class matches under his belt. He was named player of the match in Johannesburg as he claimed 6 for 79 and hit the winning runs.
Konstas will slot in at No. 4 on the age list, and be playing his 12th first-class game, when the coin goes up at the MCG, being a few days younger than Clem Hill when he made his debut at Lord’s in 1896. He will open alongside Usman Khawaja who is double his age.
While Cummins said there is no lesser desire to achieve success purely because of a young age, he recalled his own feelings of there being less pressure given how rapid his debut had been and his inexperience.
“I said this to Sam the other day; I remember as an 18-year-old I was thinking I’ve got a lot more leeway because I was young,” Cummins said. “I almost felt like if I didn’t have a great game it wasn’t my fault it was the selectors’ fault for picking me. It was like, they’re the idiots who picked an 18-year-old. You are so young starting out your career, it’s Boxing Day, it doesn’t get any better than this so just enjoy the moment.
“I spent a bit of time wondering why or how I was there, how it had happened so quick. I just remember being really excited and it’s similar to Sammy this week. There’s a level of naivety that you just want to go out and play like you do when you are a kid in the backyard – take the game on, have fun, and not overthink it.
“That’s the message to Sam. That’s definitely how I felt as an 18-year-old, just really excited, and once the game started you go into game mode and it’s just like any other game.”
Referencing one specific memory from his Johannesburg experience, Cummins added: “In my debut I remember trying to hit Dale Steyn over his head for runs and just thought that made sense at the time, now I look back and it’s like ‘geez, I’d have been crucified if that hadn’t come off’, so I think there is some benefit in that naivety.”
Konstas has had a strong support group flying into Melbourne for his debut with friends, family and his mentor Shane Watson making the trip, but Cummins sensed someone who was coping well with his dramatic rise.
“He’s quite relaxed, good fun, happy to roll along with the jokes and take the mickey out of himself and others,” Cummins said. “We always encourage him to be himself. He seems like he has a good head on his shoulders for a 19-year-old so we’re there backing him up.”
Konstas’ debut will be one of two changes for Australia from the Gabba Test with Scott Boland returning on his home ground in place of the injured Josh Hazlewood. Travis Head went through a fitness test on Christmas Day having come away from Brisbane with a quad strain but Cummins said he was “fully fit.”
Head has been the most successful batter in the series with 409 runs in five innings including back-to-back centuries in Adelaide and Brisbane. The next best is KL Rahul’s 235 runs. He would have been a gigantic hole to fill in the batting order. “He’s hitting the ball as well as I’ve ever seen anyone, so long may it continue,” Cummins said.
Should the Melbourne Test go the distance, there will be just a three-day turnaround into the final game at the SCG on January 3 which may provide some challenges for the quicks although speaking on Christmas Eve head coach Andrew McDonald was confident Cummins and Mitchell Starc would be able to get through. With the Adelaide Test being short and Brisbane badly effect by the rain, the overall workloads have not been too high.
Andrew McGlashan is a deputy editor at ESPNcricinfo
This is big. If India win at the MCG, they retain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. If Australia win, they remain on track for a first series win over India in a decade. A defeat for the home side would trigger significant questions while if India lose, their World Test Championship (WTC) fate is out of their hands, although retaining the series trophy would remain possible. With a good forecast, a draw would appear an unlikely result, particularly given the ground’s recent history. And whatever unfolds on Boxing Day could take place in front of more than 90,000 spectators.
It’s only been six days since the damp end to proceedings at the Gabba, but a lot has happened. If you weren’t aware of the scoreline, it may feel like India are ahead given Australia have been forced into a change at the top of the order to try and counterpunch against Jasprit Bumrah. It means 19-year-old Sam Konstas will make an extraordinary debut after just 11 first-class matches.
But it’s also been a curious few days for the visitors. Virat Kohli had a run-in with a reporter at the Melbourne airport; Ravindra Jadeja only took questions in Hindi at a press conference which got some people annoyed; and there were suggestions of a conspiracy when India were given used pitches to train on at the MCG.
Meanwhile, in terms of the important things, they are still trying to find enough support for Bumrah and more runs from a misfiring top order. There does not appear much India can do about the batting order in terms of personnel, instead they will hope someone can follow the lead of KL Rahul.
There has not been a lot of actual cricket played in the last two Tests: Adelaide was over little more than an hour into the third day and rain was a constant menace in Brisbane. But since Perth, Australia have dominated. Yet it sits at 1-1 and there is not much wriggle room for them to have a bad day.
Australia’s top order remains under scrutiny amid the call to drop Nathan McSweeney in favour of Konstas at such a crucial moment in the series while senior batters Usman Khawaja and Marnus Labuschagne remain low on runs. Travis Head, who picked up a quad niggle in Brisbane but is good to go, has been the game-changer while Steven Smith’s hundred was timely and by the end of it he was playing very fluently.
The fact that Scott Boland can slot back in at a ground he has enjoyed so much success on (headlined by his 6 for 7 against England in 2021-22) shows the pace-bowling depth Australia have. It may just be what makes the difference, although don’t count out Bumrah being able to win it almost on his own for India, who have not lost a Test at the MCG since 2011.
Form guide
(last five completed matches, most recent first) Australia DWLWW India DLWLL
In the spotlight: Usman Khawaja and Virat Kohli
Usman Khawaja is coming towards the end of what is his leanest Test year since 2013 (when he averaged 19.00 from just three matches). In 2024 he has a return of 337 runs at 24.07 including just one fifty. However, the Australia camp is taking the view that he is out of runs rather than out of form, similar to Smith before his Gabba century. Khawaja has spoken about having next year’s Ashes on his radar with a potential finishing point of the SCG in just over 12 months’ time, but whether he gets there may depend on these next two Tests and the Sri Lanka series.
There has been one India great retire in this series. And the rumours are bubbling about who might be next. Virat Kohli ended a century drought with his second innings in Perth but at the moment it is looking like an outlier with a pattern in his dismissals aside from that – pushing hard at the ball outside off stump. In Brisbane he was reaching out to drive a particularly wide delivery. In 2014 he enjoyed a spectacular Test at the MCG with 169 and 54, then in 2018 made a hardworking 82 as captain to help lay the foundation for a famous victory which ultimately decided that series. He missed 2020 when India won again. What will 2024 bring?
Team news: Konstas debut, Boland back; India’s balance question
Konstas’ debut was confirmed on Christmas Eve while Boland will return in place of the injured Josh Hazlewood. Head passed a fitness test on Christmas Day after coming out of the Gabba with a quad strain.
Australia: 1 Usman Khawaja, 2 Sam Konstas, 3 Marnus Labuschagne, 4 Steven Smith, 5 Travis Head, 6 Mitchell Marsh, 7 Alex Carey (wk), 8 Pat Cummins (capt), 9 Mitchell Starc, 10 Nathan Lyon, 11 Scott Boland
Rohit Sharma’s batting position remains a hot topic and he did not confirm where he would slot in ahead of the game, but it seems unlikely India will break up the opening pair. The other key debate is what to do at No. 8: stick with Nitesh Kumar Reddy, pick another specialist quick (which would lengthen the tail) or play Washington Sundar as an alternative allrounder and opt for a 3-2 balance of pace and spin?
Pitch and conditions: Sizzling temperatures on Boxing Day
The MCG pitch, which has become a goldmine for the quicks, has been in focus. Curator Matt Page said he will follow the formula which has been a success in recent seasons, leaving around 6mm of grass on the surface. Australia coach Andrew McDonald said it’s normally a surface where you bowl first, but things may be different this time. The forecast for a hot opening day, where temperatures could reach 40 degrees Celsius, may see the pitch quicken up earlier than normal. There is a chance of showers on the second day but otherwise the forecast is fine and a more pleasant temperature from day three onwards.
Stats and trivia
Bumrah needs six wickets for 200 in Tests. If he did it at the MCG, in his 44th Test, he would be the joint second-fastest for India behind R Ashwin
Since the 2018-19 season, there have been six Test centuries scored at the MCG – the lowest of all Australian venues to host more than a single match
Australia’s current average from their top three is their lowest ever for a home series of at least three Tests (note: includes Pat Cummins as nightwatcher in Perth)
Quotes
“Every game starts afresh…different teams, different structures. Think both teams have similar challenges at the moment. How do you find runs? Both bowling attacks have been on top. I’m not a big believer in history repeating itself. Australia head coach Andrew McDonald wasn’t reading much into past Boxing Day results
“After three Test matches, if I had to look at it being one-all, it’s a fair reflection of how both teams have played. There has been solid cricket being played by both teams.” Rohit Sharma on the state of the series
Andrew McGlashan is a deputy editor at ESPNcricinfo
Dubai has been confirmed as the venue for all matches of the Champions Trophy 2025 involving India, including one of the semi-finals and possibly the final, too, if India get there.
The schedule, officially released by the ICC on Tuesday, specifies that “semi-final 1 will involve India if they qualify” and will be played in Dubai, and, similarly, “semi-final 2 will involve Pakistan if they qualify”. Also, Lahore has been finalised as the host city for the final, but “if India qualifies for the final it will be played in Dubai”. Both the semi-finals and the final will have reserve days, an ICC statement confirmed.
As reported by ESPNcricinfo on Sunday, the decision to host India’s matches at the eight-team Champions Trophy away from Pakistan, the official host country, and in the UAE was finalised after Mohsin Naqvi, the PCB chairman, met with Sheikh Nahyan Al Mubarak in Pakistan. Sheikh Nahyan is a senior UAE minister and also the head of the Emirates Cricket Board.
Naqvi, the PCB chairman, said, “We are pleased that an agreement has been reached based on the principles of equality and respect, showcasing the spirit of cooperation and collaboration that defines our sport.
“Our heartfelt gratitude goes out to the ICC members who played a constructive role in helping us achieve a mutually beneficial solution. Their efforts have been invaluable in promoting the interests of international cricket.”
The marquee Pakistan vs India match in the group stage will be played on February 23, a Sunday. The other two teams in that group are Bangladesh and New Zealand. India will face Bangladesh on February 20, and New Zealand on March 2.
Pakistan, the defending champions of the tournament, will start things off on February 19, against New Zealand in Karachi. Pakistan’s last league match, against Bangladesh, will be played in Rawalpindi on February 27.
The second group has Afghanistan, Australia, England and South Africa. The matches for both groups – apart from the India games – will be played across Lahore, Karachi and Rawalpindi.
The two semi-finals are scheduled for March 4 and March 5, and with both games being allocated reserve days, it’s not impossible that they end up taking place on the same day, though Dubai is usually dry at that time of the year.
The hybrid model was finalised after the parties involved agreed that, in return, Pakistan’s matches at ICC events hosted by India till 2027 will also be at neutral venues. In all cases, knockout games such as the semi-final and the final will also be held at neutral venues.
The agreement begins with the Champions Trophy, and will apply to the 2025 women’s ODI World Cup in India, and the 2026 men’s T20 World Cup, which will be co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka. It will also apply to the 2028 women’s T20 World Cup, the first tournament of the next events cycle that has now been awarded to Pakistan.
