BGT 2024-25: Top 3 players to watch out for in Melbourne Test

The highly-anticipated Australia (AUS) and India (IND) series is currently balanced at 1-1. The visitors under the leadership of stand-in skipper Jasprit Bumrah handed the Aussies a massive 295-run defeat in the first Test in Perth before the hosts made a resounding comeback in the Pink-Ball Test in Adelaide with a convincing 10-wicket victory. The action then shifted to Brisbane which ended in a draw after only a total of 216.1 overs of play were possible due to rain

After three Test matches, both Australia and India witnessed some changes to their World Test Championship (WTC) points tally with their PCT dropping down to 58.890 and 55.880, respectively.

For the hosts, they will be without the services of ace pacer Josh Hazelwood and will be replaced by Scott Boland who had an impressive Pink-Ball Test, bagging five wickets in total. Furthermore, the Australian side has dropped opener Nathan McSweeney after his poor form with the bat. Sam Konstas who earned his maiden-call Test call-up is set to open the innings with Usman Khawaja. For India, on the other hand, after the shocking retirement of veteran spinner Ravichandran Ashwin after the Brisbane Test, the team has called Mumbai's off-spinning all-rounder, Tanush Kotian to join the squad for the last two Tests. 

Here are the three players who can make a difference at the Boxing Day Test.

3. KL Rahul

KL Rahul has been India’s best batter in the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy, scoring 235 runs across three Tests. The right-hander has displayed remarkable form against Australia’s challenging pace attack after moving back to the opening slot following Rohit Sharma's shift to the middle order.

Meanwhile, the Boxing Day Tests will be a special game for Rahul as he made his debut at the venue in 2014 but suffered a tough start, managing scores of just 3 and 1. However, he bounced back with a maiden Test century in the next match in Sydney. 

Over the years, Rahul has featured in two Boxing Day Tests and hammered memorable hundreds against South Africa in Centurion in 2021 and 2023. If he scores a century in this game, he will become the first Indian to notch three Boxing Day Test hundreds, surpassing Sachin Tendulkar and Ajinkya Rahane.