3 lessons India can take from the 2020-21 win at the MCG for BGT 2024-25 4th Test
Team India will lock horns with Australia in the fourth Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) 2024-25 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), starting on Boxing Day (December 26). It will be an important Test for both teams given that the five-match series is tied at 1-1.
The last time India played at the Melbourne Cricket Ground was during the 2020-21 Boxing Day Test. The visitors registered a clinical eight-wicket victory to level the four-match series 1-1.
The Aussies were bundled out for 195 runs in the first innings, thanks to a four-wicket haul by Jasprit Bumrah and three scalps by Ravichandran Ashwin. In reply, India posted 326 runs, thus securing a crucial 131-run lead in the first essay.
Australia bettered their batting performance in the second innings, posting 200 runs. India needed 70 runs to win and they crossed the line with eight wickets in hand.
On that note, let's take a look at three lessons India can take from the 2020-21 win at the MCG for the BGT 2024-25 fourth Test.
#1 All-round bowling performance
Team India have struggled with their bowling so far in the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy. While Jasprit Bumrah has been head and shoulders above the rest of the bowlers in the series, the rest of the Indian attack has failed to support him.
Bumrah has 21 wickets so far in the series and the second-best Mohammed Siraj has 13 scalps to his name. The rest of the Indian pace attack hasn't managed to pick up even five wickets so far in the series.
Meanwhile, the last time India played in Melbourne, the bowlers combined well to trouble the Australian batters. Bumrah scalped six wickets in the match, while Ashwin and Siraj chipped in with five each.
The current crop of Indian bowlers need to draw inspiration from their last Melbourne Test and back up Bumrah in a bid to draw a result in their favor.
#2 Combined batting performances
The Indian batters have struggled big time so far in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. They have managed to score only two centuries across three Tests - one coming from Yashasvi Jaiswal and the other from Virat Kohli's bat. KL Rahul, India's highest scorer so far in the tour, has two half-centuries under his belt.
The others have struggled mightily, which is the main reason they suffered a 10-wicket drubbing in the day-night Test in Adelaide.
The last time the Men in Blue played in Melbourne, they came up with an all-round batting performance. Ajinkya Rahane scored an excellent hundred, while Ravindra Jadeja scored a fine fifty. Shubman Gill also chipped in with a well-compiled 45 at the top of the order.
Rohit Sharma and company will need to come up with a similar batting performance if they look to take an unassailable 2-1 lead in the series.
#3 Spend time in the middle
India have been haunted by their aggressive approach so far in the three Tests of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Batters have often thrown their wickets by playing rash shots. For instance, only three Indian batters have managed to play more than 200 balls across three Tests - KL Rahul (435), Yashasvi Jaiswal (345), and Nitish Kumar Reddy (248).
Contrary to the current scenario, India adopted a more cautious approach during the 2020-21 Melbourne Test. Rahane batted 223 deliveries for his 112, while Jadeja played 159 balls for his 57. Cheteshwar Pujara played 70 deliveries for his 17, while Hanuma Vihari batted 66 balls for scoring 21.
The current Indian batters need to spend more time in the middle and grind hard for their runs instead of taking an ultra-aggressive approach.