Travis Head has been officially passed fit ahead of the Boxing Day Test at the MCG against India. Australia captain Pat Cummins has also confirmed on match eve on Wednesday (December 25) that Sam Konstas will debut and Scott Boland will return in the two changes the hosts have made to their playing XI.
Head underwent a fitness test © AFP
"Trav's good to go, he'll play," Australia's skipper Pat Cummins said. "He just ticked off some final things today and yesterday. But no worries about injury with Trav. He'll go into the game fully fit."
Head had experienced a minor quad strain while batting in the Brisbane Test last week. The Australian vice-captain underwent a stringent fitness test on Christmas Day and was ultimately declared fit to play the fourth Test of the five-match series that is currently tied at 1-1.
"I don't think you'll see too much management of him throughout the game. He just kind of plays as is. Maybe around fielding, if he's a bit uncomfortable, we will (manage him), but he's fully fit.
"It feels like the last 12 months, he's been in this unbelievable vein of form and he just keeps going on with it," said Cummins. "He's hitting the ball really cleanly. You can see the pressure that he shifts back onto the opposition literally from the first ball that he walks out there.
"I'm loving that he's in our team and I don't have to try to set a field and bowl to him. He's hitting the ball as well as I've ever seen anyone. So long may it continue."
Australia XI: Usman Khawaja, Sam Konstas, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Travis Head, Mitch Marsh, Alex Carey (wk), Pat Cummins (C), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Scott Boland
Meanwhile, Konstas is replacing Nathan McSweeney, who had been dropped from the squad for the last two Tests after a string of low scores since his debut in Perth earlier in the series. All of 19 years old, Konstas is set to become the country's youngest Test opener at the MCG.
"There's a level of naivety that you just want to go out and play like you do when you're a kid in the backyard. You just want to take the game on, have fun, and not overthink it.
"That's the message to Sam. That's definitely how I felt as an 18-year-old. I was just really excited, and once the game started, you go into game-mode and it's just like any other game."
Local hero Boland, on the other hand, returns in the series after the second Test in Adelaide, replacing the injured Josh Hazlewood who has since been ruled out with a calf injury.
"He bowled beautifully in Adelaide," Cummins said. "Whenever he gets his chance, he steps in and looks like he's one of the best bowlers in the world. "I expect him (to do) much the same. He loves bowling here, he's played probably more than anyone else here at the MCG in our team. He's prepared really well.
"It is pretty awesome that even with an unfortunate injury like Josh has, you can have someone like Scotty to come straight in seamlessly."
