Published By: Sanchari Das

Boxing Day Test: Historic Feats on the Horizon for THESE Indian and Aussie Players

The iconic Boxing Day Test at the MCG is expected to witness several record-breaking feats

India and Australia are all set for an epic showdown at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. The fourth Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-25 Test begins on December 26, and the stakes couldn't be higher, with the series tied at 1-1. The iconic Boxing Day Test promises drama, history, and milestones as both teams carry big names with even bigger records to chase. With history waiting to be rewritten, all eyes will be on Melbourne and the milestones that could make headlines.

Virat Kohli

Virat Kohli has a special connection with the MCG, where he has accumulated 316 runs in six innings at an average of 52.66. He needs 134 more runs to surpass Sachin Tendulkar's record of 449 runs as the highest-scoring Indian batter at this venue. Though Kohli has struggled in this series, apart from a century in Perth, he will look to silence critics in this critical Test.

Jasprit Bumrah

Jasprit Bumrah is on the cusp of several historic feats. He leads the series charts with 21 wickets in three BGT matches at an extraordinary average of 10.90. Six more wickets will make him the 12th Indian bowler and sixth Indian pacer to reach 200 Test scalps. Bumrah is also poised to break Ravichandran Ashwin's record for the most wickets by an Indian in a single WTC cycle, needing just six more to surpass Ashwin's 71. So far in the ongoing BGT, he has taken 21 wickets and needs just 15 more to surpass Bhagwat Chandrasekhar's 35 wickets in the India-England series of 1972-73.

The Indian pacer is also closing in on Kapil Dev's record of 31 wickets in the 1979-80 series against PAK. He is also five wickets away from becoming the 5th bowler to take 150 wickets in WTC, joining the ranks of Ashwin, Nathan Lyon, Pat Cummins, and Mitchell Starc. Furthermore, he requires 12 wickets to break Harbhajan Singh's record for getting rid of Australian batters with 31 wickets in the 2001 series.

KL Rahul

KL Rahul, promoted to the opening slot in this series, is India's leading run-scorer with 235 runs in six innings. A century in this Test would give him a rare hat-trick of Boxing Day tons, following his knocks at Centurion in 2021 and 2023. Rahul has scored 469 runs in eight Tests this year and remains a crucial player in India's quest for series dominance.

Steve Smith

Steve Smith thrives at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), particularly in Boxing Day Tests. Over 11 matches at this iconic venue, he has amassed an incredible 1,093 runs at an average of 78.07, with four centuries and five fifties. His best performance was an unforgettable 192-run knock against India, where he helped Australia post a colossal first-innings score. Heading into this match, Smith is just 191 runs away from joining the elite 10,000 Test runs club.

Achieving this would make him the fourth Australian and the second-fastest batter globally to cross this milestone. With 33 centuries to his name, he could surpass Sachin Tendulkar's record of nine centuries in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy if he scores another. Additionally, Smith has the chance to become the second-fastest batter after Brian Lara to reach the 10,000 Test-run milestone.

Marnus Labuschagne

Marnus Labuschagne is aiming for a unique milestone in WTC. With 3,986 runs in 48 WTC matches, he needs just 14 more to become the first Australian and the second player overall to breach the 4,000-run mark. Joe Root leads the WTC charts with 5,543 runs, but Labuschagne's consistency makes him a pivotal part of Australia's lineup.

Pat Cummins

Pat Cummins is approaching twin milestones. With 492 international wickets, the Australian skipper needs eight more to join the 500-wicket club—a feat only six other Australians achieved. Additionally, he is just 11 wickets shy of becoming the first bowler to claim 200 wickets in WTC history. Cummins boasts remarkable stats at the MCG, with 35 wickets in seven Boxing Day Tests at an average of 17. His best performance at the venue, a 6/27 against India, remains one of the most memorable spells in Boxing Day history.