In festive mood, England walk into the MCG cauldron

The English players began their training session on Thursday with a game of soccer, each wearing Christmas caps. It was a day fitting for the festive spirit that often surrounds the eve of a Boxing Day Test at the MCG, with families and children enjoying the atmosphere.

When Harry Brook entered the nets still wearing his Christmas cap and faced throwdowns, it drew attention from photographers. This moment highlighted how England's Ashes campaign has increasingly shifted focus off the field—a sign of the times, and somewhat unfair to players away from home during the holidays.

The tour has been challenging for Ben Stokes and his team on the field, compounded by recent off-field drama. With their series hopes extinguished, England now play for pride and to salvage some respect before returning home in just over two weeks. The task doesn’t get easier as they prepare to face over 90,000 fans at a packed MCG on Boxing Day.

For Australia, the goal is straightforward: having retained the Ashes with a 3-0 lead, they aim to impose further humiliation on their rivals and pursue a series whitewash. Their net sessions have been more intense than usual as they gear up for Melbourne.

When: December 26-30, 2025, 10:30 Local Time (05:00 IST)
Where: Australia v England, 4th Test, MCG, Melbourne
What to expect: Four years ago, the MCG pitch was so lively that the match ended before lunch on Day 3, dominated by Scott Boland. According to Steve Smith, the pitch this time could be even livelier, with 10 mm of grass left by curator Matt Page and furry grass aiding fast bowlers. Cooler weather over the first three days means minimal sun impact, pointing to another potentially early finish.

Australia:
Steve Smith confirmed Australia will again go without a specialist spinner, with Todd Murphy benched. The bigger story is the return of Jhye Richardson after a four-year hiatus from Tests; he has impressed in the nets and looks set to trouble England as he did in 2021. Scott Boland, despite hip concerns, bowled extensively in training. Usman Khawaja retains his place at No. 5, while Cameron Green drops to No. 7 for the first time. The final spot is between Michael Neser and Brendan Doggett as the fourth fast bowler.

Probable XI: Travis Head, Jake Weatherald, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith (c), Usman Khawaja, Alex Carey (wk), Cameron Green, Mitch Starc, Michael Neser/Brendan Doggett, Jhye Richardson, Scott Boland

England:
England’s pre-Ashes buildup highlighted the threat of Jofra Archer and Mark Wood, but both are now ruled out for the remainder of the series. This leaves England with a depleted bowling attack of Carse, Atkinson, and Tongue, with Will Jacks as spinner on a pitch favoring fast bowlers. Jacob Bethell replaces Ollie Pope at No. 3 after extensive training and will make his Ashes debut at the MCG.

Playing XI: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Jacob Bethell, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (c), Jamie Smith (wk), Will Jacks, Gus Atkinson, Brydon Carse, Josh Tongue