Page defended the decision to leave 10mm of grass on the wicket instead of the 7mm for last year's Boxing Day Test against India, which went the full five days. Cricket Australia is bracing for a monster financial loss after England won the Boxing Day Test inside two days, only a month after the Ashes opener in Perth also ended with three days to spare. Speaking before the match, Page was hoping to replicate the surface for the epic 2024 Test against India that ended in the final session on day five. 'Boxing Day Test match, you don't want a game finishing in less than two days. The rapid-fire Boxing Day Test comes eight years after the MCG pitch came under criticism and received a 'poor' rating when only 24 wickets fell across five days in a dull draw.

Source: Daily Mail December 27, 2025 23:48 UTC