One hundred thousand keen spectators packed into the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground on Boxing Day for an Australia v India series that is level at 1-1 – does it get any better for a cricketer than that?

Virat Kohli, the Indian captain and superstar batsman, has genuine swagger and is exactly what cricket needs at this time.  We love his competitiveness and hunger for success which brought out the best in our Aussie cricketers in Perth last week.  The banter was riveting (well, as much as test cricket banter can be) and our admiration grew for Australia’s captain, Tim Paine, who showed fight and much-needed leadership in his first win as captain.

Kohli has shown with his test average of 54.2 runs, that he operates on another level to both the rest of his Indian test squad and his Australian peers – something Nathan Lyon will be determined to change.  Having taken Kohli’s wicket in Perth for a 7th time in his career (two more than any other bowler in test cricket), Nathan Lyon continues to endear himself to the Australian sporting public.  Lyon’s boy from the bush background makes him an interesting foil to Kohli’s Bollywood.

Aussie cricket fans will be hoping that the test wicket at the MCG matches Perth’s!  A return to bowlers dominating batsmen on unpredictable wickets is what makes this great game compelling.

Expect the Boxing Day test to be a colourful occasion as the Indian fans, the Swami Army, bring an energy and collective hope that Kohli is crowned King with a win.  The odds currently favour Australia and for Nathan Lyon to lead the Australian dressing room in the team song, Under the Southern Cross I Stand, following a win.