 "What is Boxing Day Test? India, Australia's Test record at MCG | IND vs AUS")
India and Australia are set to continue their cricketing rivalry in the Boxing Day Test at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground, starting December 26, 2024. So far, in the three Tests of the ongoing five-match series, India won the first Test in Perth to go 1-0 up in the series before Australia made a comeback by winning the second Test in Adelaide to level the series at 1-1. The third game in Brisbane ended in a draw, making the fourth Test at Melbourne even more important, with both the series and a place in the ICC World Test Championship 2023-25 cycle final hanging in the balance.
Notably, while the dates for matches at every other venue differ yearly, the Test at Melbourne Cricket Ground at this time of the year always begins on December 26, i.e., on Boxing Day, giving the Test its name—the Boxing Day Test.
But what is the history behind the Boxing Day Test, and why is it considered one of the most important Test matches of the year? Let’s take a look.
Boxing Day Tests: History
The Melbourne Test match was initially held around the New Year, starting on January 1. During the 1950-51 Ashes series, the Melbourne Test was played from December 22 to 27, with the fourth day's play falling on Boxing Day. After a hiatus from 1953 to 1967, no Boxing Day Test was held, but the 1974-75 Ashes series, which included six Tests, marked the beginning of the modern Boxing Day Test tradition in Melbourne.
In 1980, the Australian Cricket Board formalised the Boxing Day Test, coinciding with the acquisition of television rights by the Nine Network and Melbourne's efforts to promote major sporting events to counter its declining manufacturing industry. The Boxing Day Test has become culturally significant and attracts large crowds, with the MCG hosting its largest Boxing Day crowd in 2013 during the fourth Test of the 2013-14 Ashes series against England. The level of anticipation for the Boxing Day Test in Australia can be understood by the fact that tickets for the first four days of the upcoming India-Australia Test were sold even before the start of the recently concluded Test between the two sides at Brisbane.
Australia’s record in Boxing Day Tests
Australia, since 1974, has played 42 Boxing Day Tests in Melbourne, out of which they won 25, lost nine and settled for a draw in eight Tests. England is the most successful visitor, as they have won three Boxing Day Tests in Australia, while India, South Africa and West Indies have all won two games each.
| Australia's records in MCG Boxing Day Tests | ||
| Year | Opossition | Result |
| 1974 | England | Draw |
| 1975 | West Indies | Australia won by 8 wickets |
| 1980 | New Zealand | Draw |
| 1981 | West Indies | Australia won by 58 runs |
| 1982 | England | England won by 3 runs |
| 1983 | Pakistan | Draw |
| 1985 | India | Draw |
| 1986 | England | England won by an innings and 14 runs |
| 1987 | New Zealand | Draw |
| 1990 | England | Australia won by 9 wickets |
| 1991 | India | Australia won by 8 wickets |
| 1992 | West Indies | Australia won by 139 runs |
| 1993 | South Africa | Draw |
| 1995 | Sri Lanka | Australia won by 10 wickets |
| 1996 | West Indies | West Indies won by 6 wickets |
| 1997 | South Africa | Draw |
| 1998 | England | England won by 12 runs |
| 1999 | India | Australia won by 180 runs |
| 2000 | West Indies | Australia won by 352 runs |
| 2001 | South Africa | Australia won by 9 wickets |
| 2002 | England | Australia won by 5 wickets |
| 2003 | India | Australia won by 9 wickets |
| 2004 | Pakistan | Australia won by 9 wickets |
| 2005 | South Africa | Australia won by 184 runs |
| 2006 | England | Australia won by an innings and 99 runs |
| 2007 | India | Australia won by 337 runs |
| 2008 | South Africa | South Africa won by 9 wickets |
| 2009 | Pakistan | Australia won by 170 runs |
| 2010 | England | England won by an innings and 157 runs |
| 2011 | India | Australia won by 122 runs |
| 2012 | Sri Lanka | Australia won by an innings and 201 runs |
| 2013 | England | Australia won by 8 wickets |
| 2014 | India | Draw |
| 2015 | West Indies | Australia won by 177 runs |
| 2016 | Pakistan | Australia won by an innings and 18 runs |
| 2017 | England | Draw |
| 2018 | India | India won by 137 runs |
| 2019 | New Zealand | Australia won by 247 runs |
| 2020 | India | India won by 8 wickets |
| 2021 | England | Australia won by an innings and 14 runs |
| 2022 | South Africa | Australia won by an innings and 182 runs |
| 2023 | Pakistan | Australia won by 79 runs |
India vs Australia at MCG
India and Australia have faced each other 14 times at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (five before the start of Boxing Day Test traditions), out of which Australia have won eight times, while India emerged victorious on four occasions. Two matches between the two sides at MCG ended in a draw.
Notably, India last lost a game at MCG in 2011. Since then, they have played here three times and have remained undefeated, with two wins and a draw.
India vs Australia in Tests at Melbourne Cricket Ground
| India vs Australia Test record at MCG | |||
| Teams | Winner | Margin | Date |
| India vs Australia | Australia | 233 runs | 01-Jan-48 |
| India vs Australia | Australia | inns & 177 runs | 06-Feb-48 |
| India vs Australia | Australia | inns & 4 runs | 30-Dec-67 |
| India vs Australia | India | 222 runs | 30-Dec-77 |
| India vs Australia | India | 59 runs | 07-Feb-81 |
| India vs Australia | - | - | 26-Dec-85 |
| India vs Australia | Australia | 8 wickets | 26-Dec-91 |
| India vs Australia | Australia | 180 runs | 26-Dec-99 |
| India vs Australia | Australia | 9 wickets | 26-Dec-03 |
| India vs Australia | Australia | 337 runs | 26-Dec-07 |
| India vs Australia | Australia | 122 runs | 26-Dec-11 |
| India vs Australia | - | - | 26-Dec-14 |
| India vs Australia | India | 137 runs | 26-Dec-18 |
| India vs Australia | India | 8 wickets | 26-Dec-20 |
The first session runs from 5:00 am to 7:00 am IST (10:30 am to 12:30 pm AEDT). The second session takes place from 7:40 am to 9:40 am IST (1:10 pm to 3:10 pm AEDT). The third session is from 10:00 am to 12:00 pm IST (3:30 pm to 5:30 pm AEDT). An additional 30 minutes can be utilized if necessary to complete the required overs for the day, ensuring a full day's play.
India vs Australia Boxing Day Test interesting facts
- Jasprit Bumrah is on the verge of a major achievement, being just six wickets away from becoming the 12th Indian bowler to take 200 Test wickets
- At the MCG, Scott Boland's wicket tally is 43 more than any other player in the same period. He has a strong Test record at this venue, having taken 10 wickets at an impressive average of 13.8 across four innings.
- Steve Smith is closing in on another milestone, needing 191 runs to become the fourth Australian to score 10,000 Test runs. Smith has achieved scores of 191 or more in a Test innings six times in his career.
- Australian bowlers have been highly effective in the early stages of recent Tests at the MCG, dismissing 27 batters within the first 20 balls faced in their last three Tests there.
- In 2024, Indian batters have a strike rate of 59 on the first 20 balls faced in Tests, the second highest among all teams, only behind England with a strike rate of 66.