Boxing Day, or the day after Christmas, has been associated with many traditions in the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth nations such as Australia.
Cricket, which has a great presence in Australia, is part of Boxing Day celebrations every year and the historic Melbourne Cricket Ground has held the iconic Boxing Day Match on December 26 every year between the National Cricket Team of Australia and any team that would be touring the island nation at that time.
Having drawn spectators and viewership of millions every year, the Boxing Day Match is a sign of the camaraderie between cricketing nations, best expressed by the last test match of the year played by the Australian Cricket Team. It has a different vibe to it in terms of the ambience in the stadium and the fervour among cricket fans.
Given the present situation of COVID-19 pandemic which has been dominating the world scenario for almost a year now, the organization of the traditional Boxing Day Match was shrouded in uncertainty and doubts keeping in view the health hazard that stadium gatherings are bound to raise.
However, the world is slowly adapting to pandemic precautions and looks at COVID-19 as a part of everyday life. National Sports Authorities are also recognizing the fact that some things such as sports events, particularly important occasions such as Boxing Day Test Match, cannot be shelved. On the contrary, they will help the return of cheer and enthusiasm amidst a troubled populace. Following the successful organization of the IPL and the slow recovery of sports events from the COVID-19 pandemic in the latter half of the year, Cricket Australia has decided to go ahead with the organization of the Boxing Day Test Match between the Australian Test Cricket Team and the Indian Test Cricket Team on December 26, this year.
Cricket Australia will not only organize the test match but also allow 25,000 spectators to witness the match from the stadium of Melbourne Cricket Ground. The Indian Cricket Team will be touring Australia from November 27 this year to January 19 next year, playing a total of three ODIs, three T20s and four Tests starting from December 17 this year. The Border- Gavaskar Trophy, which was won by India last year, is at stake this year and India will be looking to return to the lush cricket fields of Australia to defend the title.
The authorities at Melbourne Cricket Ground understand that the Boxing Day Test Match will draw great crowds to the stadium and they are prepared with a COVID-19 safety plan to manage the crowd without creating a COVID-19 hotspot for the world.
The first Boxing Day Test Match was held in the year 1950 and the match has been a highly anticipated occasion for the cricket world. With the authorities organizing the match are leaving no stone unturned to ensure the safe and successful finish of the MCG Boxing Day Test Match, all eyes will be on the historic MCG ground to witness the first great game in a post-COVID-19 world.
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