The fourth Test of the 2025–26 Ashes between Australia and England has been compared to a “racing thriller film” by former Indian cricketer Ashwin. The Boxing Day Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground ended in two full days and was a low-scoring match.
Ashwin emphasised that the heart of Test cricket is the ability to adjust to changing conditions. In contrast to some former cricket players who condemned the pitch for being overly bowling-friendly, he also refrained from criticising it.
“New Zealand and England haven’t yet produced a great spinner, but Australia has produced Shane Warne and Nathan Lyon. The ability to adjust to foreign conditions is what makes Test cricket so beautiful. Since the MCG pitch is typical for both teams, I won’t criticise it either. It was entertaining to observe.
In a video posted on his YouTube page, Ashwin said, “It was like watching a racing thriller movie.”
Ashwin thought that although the recent Kolkata Test between South Africa and India was heavily criticised by some, it proceeded similarly to the MCG Test.
However, I think it’s important to avoid using double standards. Consider the recent conclusion of the Test at Eden Gardens. We said it ourselves. After years of playing cricket, we fairly criticise our own surfaces. However, the other citizens are not following suit. They speak well of themselves and poorly of us,” he continued.
On the first day at MCG, a record 20 wickets were lost, and on the second, 16. At the crease, no batter could settle in. Only ten times during the whole game, in every innings, was the 20-run threshold exceeded. Josh Tongue won Player of the contest after taking seven wickets in the contest.
Australia won the first three games of the series, therefore the series is now 3-1 in their favour. The Sydney Cricket Ground will host the fifth and final match starting on January 4. Day 2 had also seen the end of the series-opening match in Perth.
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