Australian opener Usman Khawaja opened up on his experience in playing at the MCG and compared Melbourne to Delhi. The iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground, with a capacity of 90,000, is completely sold out for the highly anticipated Boxing Day Test between Australia and India, starting December 26. Gearing up for the Boxing Day Test, Australia opener Usman Khawaja recalled the last time he played against India at the MCG.
A record-breaking turnout is expected for the 3rd Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, with over 86,000 fans likely to be in attendance. However, don’t be surprised if Indian chants and flags dominate the stands more than those of the host nation. This isn’t just speculation—it’s a memory shared by Australian opener Usman Khawaja. Reflecting on their last encounter at the MCG, Usman Khawaja humorously recalled the overwhelming support for the Indian team.
India’s record in Boxing Day Tests
India won the Boxing Day Tests in their last two tours and drew one fixture before that. However, they have lost 8 fixtures out of 14 played at this venue and drew twice. India has a good record at the venue in recent times. The visitors won the Boxing Day Tests in their last two tours and drew one fixture before that. Overall, India has appeared in 14 Tests at the MCG, winning only four fixtures, losing eight and drawing twice.
India has had a strong record at the MCG in recent years. India has won the Boxing Day Tests in the last two tours and drawn one Test before that. The likes of Virat Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane have put in strong batting performances in recent years, and on the other hand, Jasprit Bumrah has woven his magic as usual. The atmosphere at the MCG promises to be electric, with Indian fans likely to bring unparalleled energy to the venue once again
Gearing up for the upcoming Test, Australian opener Usman Khawaja recalled the last time he played in Melbourne and how the Indian team received massive support from their fans.
Usman Khawaja compares Melbourne to Delhi
The upcoming Boxing Day Test in Melbourne is expected to witness a record footfall at the MCG. All tickets for the opening day of the Test match have been sold out and if reports are to be believed, the iconic venue would see the largest collective crowd since the 1954 Ashes Test, when 3,00,270 fans marked their presence. The ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy is evenly poised and just like the last three encounters, the Indian fans are going to lit up the ‘G’.
Gearing up for the Boxing Day Test, Australia opener Usman Khawaja recalled the last time he played against India at the MCG.
Speaking to Star Sports, he said, “The funny thing is, when we play in Melbourne, it feels like an Indian home game. I played in Melbourne last time, and there were so many people supporting India. I remember the announcer urging everyone to cheer for Australia, but the crowd made less noise,”
“Then, when he asked them to cheer for India, the noise was incredible. I was like, ‘Are we in Delhi or the MCG?’ It can be funny because you get a lot of Indian supporters in Australia, and it can feel a bit weird being the home team,”
The upcoming fixture against Australia will also mark the beginning of an era without Ashwin in Tests. The veteran off-spinner announced his retirement after the conclusion of the Brisbane Test, which ended without a result. Ashwin retired as India’s second-highest wicket-taker for India, after Anil Kumble, in the longest format of the game.
Meanwhile, Australia made several changes to their squad for the remaining fixtures after Josh Hazlewood was ruled out. The George Bailey-led selection panel dropped Nathan McSweeney and replaced him with Sam Konstas. The hosts have also added Sean Abbott, Beau Webster and Jhye Richardson to the squad. Both the teams head to MCG at 1-1 which has lit up the BGT 2024-25 to a different level adding spice to the context.