Australia Win Toss, Bat In Fourth Test Against India

Australia Win Toss, Bat In Fourth Test Against India (Image Source: Twitter)

Australia captain Pat Cummins won the toss and chose to bat in the fourth Test against India at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Thursday.

The match will begin in hot conditions with temperatures forecast to reach 39 Celsius (102 Fahrenheit) and a crowd of 90,000-plus expected.

The five-match series is tied at 1-1 after India won by 295 runs in Perth before being crushed by 10 wickets at Adelaide. The rain-affected third Test in Brisbane was drawn.

For Australia, 19-year-old Sam Konstas makes his debut, opening alongside veteran Usman Khawaja after Nathan McSweeney was axed.

He is one of two changes, with seamer Scott Boland in for the injured Josh Hazlewood.

"There's a bit of a grass like an old MCG wicket. Feels nice and firm," said Cummins.

"Sam will open the batting and Scott also comes in for Hazlewood."

India made one change, bringing in Washington Sundar as a second spin option and dropping number three Shubman Gill.

"We would have batted as well," said skipper Rohit Sharma, who said he would revert to opener despite being listed at three on the teamsheet.

"It's a good pitch, But we are bowling first and we have to bowl well."

Australia: Sam Konstas, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Travis Head, Mitchell Marsh, Alex Carey, Pat Cummins (capt), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Scott Boland

India: Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Rohit Sharma (capt), Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant, Ravindra Jadeja, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Akash Deep

Umpires: Joel Wilson (WIS), Michael Gough (ENG)

TV umpire: Sharfuddoula Saikat (BAN)

Match referee: Andy Pycroft (ZIM)