The much-awaited Boxing Day Test between India and Australia is just a few days away, as fans are excited to witness the showdown at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). Regarding the IND vs AUS 4th Test, on Monday afternoon (December 23, 2024) MCG’s pitch curator Matt Page shared some words ensuring the ground was ready for the upcoming match. The surface, which plays a key role in shaping the game, has become a point of focus ahead of the fourth Test starting on December 26. He shared that India had their net sessions on used practice pitches for two days, while the Aussies trained on fresh ones today. “We prepare the practice pitches three days before the game and if India had turned up today, they would have got fresh ones. It is standard procedure.” he shared, asking to put a pause on the controversy.
Pitch preparation for fast bowlers
Matt Page shared his satisfaction with the current state of the pitch, especially after a series of successful Tests. “We have been happy with what we have served up in the last couple of years, and we don’t see any reason to change that,” he said. Referring to the pitch from seven years ago, he explained that the surface used to be flatter, but a decision was made to leave more grass on it to encourage more exciting contests for the bowlers.
For this Test, Page mentioned that around six millimetres of grass would be left on the surface. “This will bring the bowlers into it a bit more, but the pitch is still good for batting once the new ball goes off,” he added.
Page’s comments come as India’s star pacer, Jasprit Bumrah, leads the wicket charts in the ongoing Border-Gavaskar series. He has been in exceptional form, taking 21 wickets at an average of 10.9. The curator confirmed that the MCG pitch would be ideal for fast bowlers like Bumrah. “If you’re a fast bowler, you probably will get excited,” Page said.
Aiming for excitement in Test cricket
Looking ahead, Page eemphasisedthat the goal was to produce more exciting Test matches at the MCG. “We want to create more exciting contests, more exciting Test matches,” he explained. By leaving extra grass on the pitch, Page believes both bowlers and batsmen will get their chances to shine, making for a well-balanced and thrilling game.
The much-awaited Boxing Day Test between India and Australia is expected to deliver an exciting contest, with the pitch playing a crucial role in shaping the outcome of the match. Fans can expect a captivating clash of fast bowlers and skilled batsmen at the iconic MCG.
