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[caption id="attachment_76169" align="aligncenter" width="580"] Image: XtraTime[/caption] Debasis Sen, Melbourne: The city of Melbourne will wear a festive look next week with Cricket Australia in partnership with the Victorian Government announcing the start of Indian Summer Festival coinciding with the Boxing Day test match. As you walk to the Melbourne Cricket Ground, your eyes will draw towards the big murals of Sachin Tendulkar and Indian Arts. The Victorian Government in association with Cricket Australia will host the Indian Summer Festival at the Yarra Park, outside the MCG. The festival will showcase Victoria’s vibrant Indian community with a program built upon five shared cultural pillars that unite modern India and modern Melbourne: Food, Music, Art, Film and Cricket. Fans going to watch the test match can enjoy an array of live music from a collection of local and international talent, modern Indian street art paintings by Indian and local artists and an open-air cinema showcasing short Bollywood films and music. The festival will continue over days one and two of the Boxing Day Test (26 and 27 December), giving cricket fans and the general public an opportunity to sample all that modern Indian culture has to offer. Among the performers will be international artists from UK, Canada and India. UK band Raxstar, Canadian group Humble The Poet, Sydney-based L-Fresh The Lion and Pav Dharia, and Melbourne grown Ecca Vandal will rock the stages. The festival will also feature local emerging artists including Manorism, Sahida Apsara and Dub FX. L-Fresh The Lion, Pav Dharia, Pavvan (USA), DJ Mixtabishi, HAYCH Cramer, Aarti Jadu and Sadhana will perform at the festival on 26 December and Ecca Vandal, Humble The Poet, Sahida Apsara and Dub FX, Harjinder, DJ R-Ya and Manorism will perform on 27 December. [caption id="attachment_76168" align="aligncenter" width="580"] Image: XtraTime[/caption] Giant murals painted by leading Indian and local street artists will be on display. The murals will be stacked in various formations and scattered throughout the festival site, with iconic Indian figures Mahatma Gandhi and Sachin Tendulkar immortalised as two of the hero pieces. There will be an appearance by the Australian and Indian men’s cricket teams. Cricket Australia will release a two-part documentary series celebrating the epic cricketing rivalry between Australia and India named “Forged in Fire”. Directed by filmmaker Peter Dickson, 2 Nations, 1 Obsession will screen exclusively on FOX CRICKET. The film provides unique insights into of the great contests of the modern era, including the famous tied series of 1986 and Australia’s drought-breaking 2004 series win in India, and explores what makes the rivalry between the two nations so special. [caption id="attachment_76170" align="aligncenter" width="580"] Image: XtraTime[/caption] It has been raining here in Melbourne since afternoon. The forecast is for more showers on Saturday as well. The wicket at the MCG was covered since it was raining. Meanwhile, Hardik Pandya and Mayank Agarwal joined the squad on Friday.