Boxing Day Test: How the teams stack up at MCG

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.