๐ ๐ซ๐๐ ๐๐ซ๐๐๐ข๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง๐ฌ ๐จ๐ง ๐๐๐ฅ๐๐ ๐ซ๐๐ฆ ๐๐
Australia
England
Australia will come into the fourth Test at the MCG with the Ashes already secured with an unbeatable 3-0 lead. This is Australiaโs fourth straight home Ashes series win, a streak that started in 2013-14. On every occasion, Australia have sealed the urn by winning the first three Tests. They will also carry momentum, winning their last 5 consecutive Tests.
The Boxing Day Test at the MCG is the biggest fixture of the Australian summer. Conditions here usually reward discipline with the ball and patience with the bat. Australiaโs ability to adapt across sessions will again be a key factor in this match.
England will come into this game under pressure. Their last Test win in Australia came in 2011 at the SCG. Since then, they have gone 18 Tests without a win on Australian soil. England have not won any of their last 5 Tests, with 4 losses and 1 draw.
Australia have produced more consistent run-scorers across the series, with multiple centuries and fifties from Head, Carey and Khawaja, while England has just one from Root.
The betting tip is...
Top Batter's Team - Australia
66 %
34 %
AustraliaEnglandAustralia will come into the Boxing Day Test with 6 straight Test wins. Pat Cummins will miss the rest of the Ashes despite returning in Adelaide, as he will rest with the series already sealed. Nathan Lyon is also out for a long time due to surgery for his right hamstring injury. Jhye Richardson and Todd Murphy are the replacements.
Steve Smith is expected to return and lead the side in Cumminsโ absence, subject to clearance from his inner-ear issue. Alex Carey will carry a strong form after scoring 106 and 72 in Adelaide.
He will have 743 runs in his last 10 matches at an average of 53.07. Mitchell Starc will again spearhead the attack with 22 wickets in this Ashes at 17.04 and 51 wickets in his last 10 Tests. Scott Boland will support him after taking 27 wickets in his last 5 Tests.
Head, Khawaja and Carey are the key batters.
Predicted Lineup: Jake Weatherald, Travis Head, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith (c), Usman Khawaja, Alex Carey (wk), Cameron Green, Michael Neser/Jhye Richardson, Mitchell Starc, Todd Murphy, Scott Boland
England will be under heavy pressure. Joe Root has a weak record in Australia. He has played 17 Tests down under without a win, the second-most by any player in one nation.
He has been part of 15 defeats in those matches, the joint-most for a visiting player. Despite that, he brings 4 Test hundreds in 2025 and 2 fifties from 5 Test innings at the MCG.
Ben Stokes has scored only 69 at an average of 17.25 in 4 innings, while Zak Crawley will be the only other current squad member with MCG Test experience, where he scored 12 and 5 in 2021. Changes will be likely after Ollie Popeโs scores of 3 and 17 in Adelaide. Josh Tongue will push his case after taking 4 wickets in the second Adelaide innings.
Root, Stokes & Bethell are the key batters.
Predicted Lineup: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Jacob Bethell, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (c), Jamie Smith (wk), Will Jacks, Gus Atkinson, Jofra Archer, Josh Tongue/Shoaib Bashir
Australia will go into the Boxing Day Test with a clear batting edge. Travis Head will carry strong form after scoring 170 in the last Test, his second century of this Ashes. Alex Carey will also be full of confidence after his maiden Ashes hundred and 2 fifties in the series. Usman Khawaja will add stability after scoring 82 & 40 in Adelaide.
Australiaโs depth with the bat will stand out, with even Starc contributing 2 fifties, the same as Crawley and Stokes, and more than Pope, Brook & Duckett. Englandโs batting will rely heavily on Joe Root, who has scored their only century so far. With more consistent run-scorers across the top and middle order, Australia will dominate the game with the bat at MCG.
