December 23, 2024: Ahead of the Boxing Day Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), head curator Matt Page addressed concerns regarding the pitch and the impact of the Kookaburra ball on the conditions. Speaking at a press conference, Page confirmed that the pitch at the MCG had not been altered due to the characteristics of the Kookaburra ball, which is known for its softer seam and quicker wear compared to the Dukes ball used in the UK, which helps seam and swing bowling.
The series is currently tied 1-1, after India secured a draw in the third Test in Brisbane. With the Boxing Day Test scheduled to begin on December 26, Page emphasized that the MCG pitch would provide both bowlers and batsmen opportunities to showcase their skills at different points in the game.
Page explained that the MCG pitch had been developed with a long-term vision, starting with discussions that began seven years ago, post-2017, about the kind of pitch they wanted to produce. He emphasized that their goal was to create pitches that would provide a thrilling contest, giving bowlers opportunities, while still allowing batters to play well if they performed well.
“We haven’t altered our pitches because of the balls,” Page said. “We sat down probably seven years ago after 2017 and discussed where we wanted to go as an organization. We wanted to produce Test matches that would provide a thrilling contest… It gives the bowlers an opportunity at various points in the game, but it also gives the batters a chance too, if you play well.”
Page also spoke about the trial-and-error process that led to their current approach. The curators experimented with grass lengths, compaction levels, and moisture content, which took about three years to perfect. Over the last couple of years, they’ve aimed for more consistency, leaving a bit more grass on the pitch than in the past.
“We’ve probably been quite consistent in what we’ve rolled out… and we leave a bit more grass on them now than what we used to,” Page added. “But it’s provided thrilling contests, and that’s what we want to do.”
As for the teams, both India and Australia have made changes to their squads ahead of the crucial fourth Test:
- Australia made adjustments to address the absence of Josh Hazlewood, who has been ruled out of the series due to a calf strain sustained during the third Test. Hazlewood, who had been key in the earlier matches, will be replaced by Scott Boland, who is expected to take his spot in the playing XI for the Boxing Day Test. Additionally, Beau Webster, Jhye Richardson, and Sam Konstas have been added to the squad to provide further options.
- India will rely on their strong squad, which includes players like Rohit Sharma (C), Virat Kohli, Shubman Gill, Rishabh Pant, and the experienced bowling duo of Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja.
India Squad:
- Rohit Sharma (C)
- Jasprit Bumrah (VC)
- Yashasvi Jaiswal
- Abhimanyu Easwaran
- Shubman Gill
- Virat Kohli
- Devdutt Padikkal
- KL Rahul
- Rishabh Pant (wicket-keeper)
- Sarfaraz Khan
- Dhruv Jurel (wicket-keeper)
- Ravichandran Ashwin
- Ravindra Jadeja
- Mohammed Siraj
- Akash Deep
- Prasidh Krishna
- Harshit Rana
- Nitish Kumar Reddy
- Washington Sundar
Australia Squad:
- Pat Cummins (C)
- Sean Abbott
- Scott Boland
- Alex Carey
- Travis Head (VC)
- Josh Inglis
- Usman Khawaja
- Sam Konstas
- Marnus Labuschagne
- Nathan Lyon
- Mitchell Marsh
- Jhye Richardson
- Steve Smith (VC)
- Mitchell Starc
- Beau Webster
As the Boxing Day Test approaches, all eyes will be on the MCG pitch and how it plays under the hands of curators who aim to provide a balance between bat and ball. With both teams in high spirits following a tied series, this match is set to be a crucial turning point for the series.
