Justin Langer reveals Australia's playing XI for the Boxing Day Test at MCG

India had a horrible outing against Australia during the first pink-ball Test at Adelaide, where they bundled up on just 36 runs, their lowest ever in Test cricket history. The next Test that is the Boxing Day Test, is all set to take place at Melbourne on December 26, and Australian coach Justin Langer has confirmed their playing XI. He stated that hosts would lock horns with India in the upcoming contest with an unchanged playing XI.

Australian bowlers just displayed their prime game on the third day of the pink-ball Test by breaking the back of Indian batters. Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood shared nine wickets among themselves as they ended India’s show on an embarrassingly low score of 36 runs. Langer has made it clear that they would be moving up with an unchanged lot until and unless something significant happens in the next few days.

“I’ll be a pretty courageous man to change the playing XI this Test match after the last one. Unless something happens over the next few days and that can in the world we live, but we are going with the same XI,” stated Langer in a virtual press conference as quoted by the New Indian Express on Thursday.

Cricket Australia has stated that crowd capacity between India and Australia Boxing Day Test at Melbourne has been increased to 30,000 per day. Earlier only 25,000 were allowed for the iconic Test, but now, Australia has confirmed the increase in capacity, and Langer has expressed his happiness over the staging of the Boxing Day Test amid the COVID-19 wave.

MCG is just an amazing stadium, reckons Australia coach Langer

“Thirty thousand (crowd) is better than none. And it wasn’t that long ago, probably a few weeks ago, that we wonder if we had a Boxing Day Test match in Melbourne. Every time I come here I pinch myself, playing at the MCG. I’ve come here a lot. It’s just an amazing stadium, the hype about it, and boys love playing here. The Indians will love, probably lot would have dreamt of playing here a Test match and Thirty thousand is better than none, and it certainly provides the atmosphere,” added Langer.

Australia Playing XI: Steve Smith, Mathhew Wade, Joe Burns, Marnus Labuschagne, Travis Head, Cameron Green, Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood, Tim Paine, and Pat Cummins.