India vs Australia Match Prediction: Who will win the 4th BGT 2024-25 Test?

The cauldron is being readied at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, and that doesn't just mean the gravity of the occasion. A Boxing Day Test is a big enough event in itself, but one that promises soaring temperatures and a major impact on the course of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy is simply gargantuan.

India and Australia have fought hard to get to where they are, which is 1-1 in the series with two games to go. The visitors clinched the opening Test in Perth on the back of Jasprit Bumrah's brilliance, lost the second Test despite Jasprit Bumrah's brilliance, and drew the third thanks to rain.

The Aussies will be slightly disappointed that they don't have more to show for, while India will be unhappy with how they've been dominated over the last two Tests. Rohit Sharma and Co. have hit the wall when it comes to their World Test Championship hopes, and anything but a win won't do for them.

Australia will be without Josh Hazlewood, who has been ruled out of the series with a calf strain. Scott Boland, who knows a thing or two about bowling at the MCG, will be a more than capable replacement. Sam Konstas will make his debut for the Kangaroos, while Travis Head has been adjudged fit despite dealing with a slight groin niggle.

India, meanwhile, have added Tanush Kotian to their squad as a replacement for the retired Ravichandran Ashwin. Mohammed Shami hasn't recovered in time for the last two Tests, meaning that the visitors will likely field a similar pace attack.

The series opener, which commenced more than a month ago, feels like it was yesterday. Such has been the gripping nature of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, which never disappoints.

India, who have won at the MCG in their last two tours Down Under, will be eyeing an encore. Can they pull ahead in the series? Or will Australia put one hand on the trophy and extinguish their rivals' WTC final hopes?

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IND vs AUS, BGT 2024-25, 4th Test: Can the visitors pull ahead in the series?

India Test Squad Training Session - Source: Getty

India have many selection decisions to make. Their team combination isn't ideal, with Nitish Kumar Reddy not offering enough with the ball as the fourth seamer. The spin-bowling all-rounders have been rotated at will, and Ravindra Jadeja's stellar batting show in the Gabba Test means that he now can't be dropped.

Despite Reddy having done well for the most part, India might have no choice but to drop him. And that won't be a great sign, with both Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj having dealt with minor niggles in the last two Tests.

Moreover, with captain Rohit Sharma and former skipper Virat Kohli being woefully out of nick, India have plenty of questions to answer in the batting department. Shubman Gill and Rishabh Pant haven't looked great in the series so far either, and the visitors have barely any reliability anywhere in the lineup.

Australia have questions of their own. Usman Khawaja isn't having a great year, and Konstas will face a rude welcome to international cricket in the form of Bumrah. Despite odd flashes of solidity, Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne aren't the run-scoring machines they once were.

But while the Aussies certainly don't have all bases covered in the batting department, they make up for it with their well-rounded bowling unit, which isn't overly dependent on any of their players. India, in contrast, are one Bumrah indifferent showing away from total disaster.

On paper, the teams aren't too dissimilar to each other. The toss is bound to play a big role at the MCG, although there isn't a straightforward decision available to both captains. A hot first day could result in batting first being an advantage, although there have been spicy sessions at the start of recent encounters that make bowling a possibility.

On the whole, Australia's issues are easier to solve. They could have a slight edge in the Boxing Day Test, although India certainly cannot be counted out given their history at the venue and the fact that Bumrah plays for them.

Prediction: Australia to win the 4th Test vs India.