When India take on Australia in the fourth Test, they will be hoping to bounce back and take the lead in the ongoing series.

The much-anticipated Boxing Day Test begins at the MCG in Melbourne on Thursday (December 26).

The visiting batsmen will have their work cut out for them in Melbourne after poor performances in the last two Tests.

Barring the second innings of the Perth Test, most visiting batsmen have struggled to make an impact in the series and will be desperate to turn the tables in the upcoming matches.

In the third test, India went all out for just 260 runs Australia’s first innings reply totaled 445 runs. In the second innings, with a score of 89/7, Australia decided to call the match with less than a day left. At 8:00 in the visiting team’s game, due to poor lighting and rain, the referee decided to end the game.

With both teams now gearing up for the fourth Test, we take a look at India’s 11-wicket haul in this crucial match.

India 11 vs Australia – 4th Test, India tour of Australia 2024-25

Opener: Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul

Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul look set to be the top 11 openers once again. Although Rahul was promoted as the opener in the first Test in the absence of captain Rohit Sharma, he managed to make the most of the opportunity.

Rahul has been one of the most reliable batsmen in the series. Even in the third Test, he was one of the few positive players for the visiting team. The right-handed batsman scored a team-high 84 runs in the first innings while no other player in the visitors’ top six scored more than 10 runs.

Jaiswal, on the other hand, scored only 4 runs in the first innings. The youngster started the series with a bang in Perth and will be looking to replicate that performance in Melbourne.

Middle-order batsmen and all-rounders: Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant (wk), Rohit Sharma ( c), Ravindra Jadeja, Nitish Kumar Reddy

The team management is unlikely to make any changes in the middle and lower order of the third IND and AUS test. Shubman Gill will bat at No. 3 and will have his sights set on a big score after being dismissed for one run in the third Test.

Virat Kohli will also be under pressure after scoring just 3 runs in the previous Tests. Rishabh Pant also failed to live up to expectations. The wicketkeeper-batsman was one of India’s most important players but failed to deliver on his promise.

He had scored just 9 points in the previous Test and will be hoping for a good performance at the MCG. Captain Rohit Sharma will be in the spotlight again and will stop at nothing to hit back at his critics. He scored just 10 runs in the last Test.

Ravindra Jadeja and Nitish Reddy are likely to be the two all-rounders in the team. While Jadeja struggled with the ball, he made up for it with the bat. He scored 77 runs in the first innings, taking India’s score past the 200-run mark. Reddy, on the other hand, scored only 16 points but was still expected to retain his spot in the top 11 for India.

Bowlers: Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Akash Deep

Jasprit Bumrah will lead India’s pace attack along with Mohammed Siraj and Akash Deep. While Bumrah performed well in the first innings of the third Test, Siraj and Akash Deep failed to impress. They hope for a better performance in the fourth Test.