If you are a cricket fan, especially a Test cricket fan then you would know about the Boxing Day Test match. The day after Christmas – 26th of December is called Boxing Day and every year on this day a Test match starts in Australia at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. It is like a ritual in Australia as there is a Test match starting on the 26th of December for a very long time.
It is a great occasion and many players and teams want to be a part of this special occasion. The MCG stadium is filled with 80,000 people on the 26th of December as everybody wants to watch this special Test match. Touring teams find it difficult in this Test because it is an iconic venue and the crowd and ground size are intimidating. It isn’t easy for any player to come and score runs at this venue on this special occasion. But still, there are a few captains who have done some special things in the Boxing Day Test. So, let’s have a look at the four visiting captains who have managed to score a century in this special Test match.
1. Alec Stewart – 107 in 1998
Alec Stewart is the first visiting captain to come at the MCG on the Boxing Day Test match and score a century. Australia won the toss and asked England to bat first. Stewart led from the front and scored 107 off 160 balls which helped England get to 270 in the first innings.
Australia took a first-innings lead, but Stewart scored another half-century in the second innings which meant Australia needed to score 175 to win the game. There was a dramatic collapse in the fourth innings as England won the game by 12 runs. Stewart’s century was one of the main reasons for England’s win.
2. Sachin Tendulkar – 116 in 1999
Sachin Tendulkar is the first India captain to score a century at the MCG in the Boxing Day Test match. Tendulkar won the toss and asked Australia to bat first as they posted a huge total of 405 in their first innings. India was in trouble in the first innings as they lost their first three wickets for 31.
Sachin Tendulkar, the Indian captain led from the front and scored a magnificent century to help India reach 238 in their first innings. He scored almost half the team’s runs as he got out on 116 off 191 balls with nine fours and one six. India lost the game, but it was a great knock from the Indian skipper.
3. Mohammad Yousuf – 111 in 2004
Mohammad Yousuf who was the Pakistan Test captain scored a century at MCG in 2004. Pakistan won the toss and opted to bat first. Pakistan was in a spot of bother at 94-3 when the skipper came out to bat.
He started scoring runs freely as he scored 111 off just 134 balls which included 11 fours and four big sixes. Pakistan put up a total of 341 but Australia took a first-innings lead. Pakistan didn’t bat well in the second innings which meant that Australia won the test pretty comfortably.
4. Ajinkya Rahane – 112 in 2020
Ajinkya Rahane got his name on the honours board at the MCG for the second time but for the first time as the captain of India in 2020. Rahane who is leading the Indian side in the absence of Virat Kohli lost the toss and India had to bowl first. Their bowlers restricted the Australian batting line-up to 195.
In reply, India could have got in trouble at 64-3 but Ajinkya Rahane stitched some important partnerships and played a solid knock to ensure that India gets a lead over 100. He scored 112 off 223 balls as the conditions weren’t easy to bat. It was a great knock under pressure keeping in mind the last Test where India had been bowled out for 36. This lead helped the Indian bowlers and India won the Test by eight wickets. This has to be one of Ajinkya Rahane’s best test knocks if not the best.
