With Australia taking a 2-0 lead in the four-match Test series against India, the scales are titled highly in favour of the hosts. History also shows that the Melbourne Cricket Ground has been a happy hunting ground for the hosts.
With the Boxing Day Test around the corner, here is a quick look at how the teams stand.
AUSTRALIA
World ranking: Second
Captain: Steven Smith
Coach: Darren Lehmann
Squad: David Warner, Chris Rogers, Shane Watson, Smith, Shaun Marsh, Joe Burns, Brad Haddin, Mitchell Johnson, Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood, Ryan Harris, Peter Siddle
INDIA
World ranking: Sixth
Captain: Mahendra Singh Dhoni
Coach: Duncan Fletcher
Squad: Dhoni, Virat Kohli, Shikhar Dhawan, Murali Vijay,K.L. Rahul, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, Rohit Sharma,Suresh Raina, Wriddhiman Saha, Naman Ojha, Ravichandran Ashwin,Karn Sharma, Ravindra Jadeja, Bhuvaneshwar Kumar, MohammedShami, Ishant Sharma, Umesh Yadav, Varun Aaron
Previous Tests at the MCG:
Matches: 11
Australia wins: 8
India wins: 2
Draw: 1
Timeline of Tests
1948 Australia won by 233 runs
1948 Australia won by an innings and 177 runs
1967-8 Australia won by an innings and four runs
1977-8 India won by 222 runs
1981 India won by 59 runs
1985 Match drawn
1991 Australia won by eight wickets
1999 Australia won by 180 runs
2003 Australia won by nine wickets
2007 Australia won by 337 runs
2011 Australia won by Australia won by 122 runs.
Current series
First Test (Adelaide): Australia won by 48 runs
Second Test (Brisbane): Australia won by four wickets
Third Test (Melbourne): Dec 26-30
Fourth Test (Sydney): Jan 6-10.
