Melbourne Test to start on 26th December also famously known as Boxing Day test among Australia and Pakistan.
Pakistan has planned to rest Sarfraz Ahmad on Boxing Day and Mohammad Rizwan is ready to replace Sarfaraz Ahmed for the second Test in 3-Test series against Australia.
In the Perth Test, Sarfaraz found it difficult to negotiate the fast and bouncy bowling by Australian bowlers since he scored seven runs in both innings of the first test and he seriously struggled particularly against sheer pace of Mitchell Starc.
Pakistan tops the World Test Championship Points Table
The record shows that Mohammad Rizwan has been more successful as a keeper-batsman in Australia on pacey and bouncy pitches.
Pakistan is also planning to make another couple of changes for the second Test at the MCG . Pakistan has named a 12-man squad.
Since, Khurram Shahzad has been ruled out of the series due to injury and the allrounder Faheem Ashraf has also been left out due to his poor form in the first test.
Pakistan is also thinking to rest Sajid Khan and once again for the all-seam attack. Pakistan will also choose one from Hasan Ali and Mir Hamza as a third pace bowler in the team or both of them. Mohammad Wasim Jnr was not part of the 12-man squad, so the pace bowling debate comes down to Hasan and Hamza.
Abdullah Shafiq scores a Double Hundred at Colombo
Pakistan won the Test series in Australia in 1994-95 when Pakistan defeated Australia by 1-0 in the 3-test match series.
Following are a few stats of MCG:
Test Matches played: 115
Matches won by teams batting first: 56
Matches won by teams batting second: 42
Matches tied: 0
Matches drawn: 17
Highest team total: 624/8 dec – Australia vs. Pakistan, 2016
Lowest team total: 36 – South Africa vs. Australia, 1932
Highest successful run-chase: 332/7 – England vs. Australia, 1928
Highest individual score: 307 – Robert Cowper (AUS) vs. England, 1966
Best bowling figures (innings): 9/86 – Sarfaraz Nawaz (PAK) vs. Australia, 1979
