Melbourne : Ahead of the fourth Test against India at Melbourne, Australian skipper Pat Cummins confirmed that left-handed batter Travis Head is fit to play, following a minor quad strain in the Brisbane Test and pacer Scott Boland will replace injured Josh Hazlewood.
With the series level at 1-1, both sides will be playing the much-anticipated Boxing Day Test with an aim to secure an all-important series lead needed to push a case for the ICC World Test Championship final.
The news of Head being fit to play after all the fitness concerns following a quad strain during the third Test at Brisbane, where he made a commendable 152 to continue his fine form against India, is a great one for the Aussie team and fans alike.
"Trav's good to go, he will play. He just ticked off some final things today and yesterday. But no worries about injury with Trav. He will go into the game fully fit," Cummins said.
"I do not think you will see too much management of him throughout the game. He just kind of plays as is. Maybe around fielding, if he is a bit uncomfortable, we will (manage him), but he is fully fit," added the skipper hinting at a bit of workload management if the need arises.
The skipper was full of praise for one of his biggest weapons against India, lauding him for his ability to create pressure on bowlers and hitting abilities.
"It feels like the last 12 months, he has been in this unbelievable vein of form and he just keeps going on with it," said Cummins.
"He has 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 am loving that he is in our team and I do not have to try to set a field and bowl to him. He is hitting the ball as well as I have ever seen anyone. So long may it continue," the skipper concluded his point.
Cummins also heaped praises on right-arm pacer Boland, saying that in the limited opportunities he gets, he shows that he is one of the best bowlers in the world. In 11 Tests, he has taken 40 wickets at an average of 20.42, with best figures of 6/7. Boland featured in the Adelaide Test, picking up five wickets across both innings, including those of superstars Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli.
"He bowled beautifully in Adelaide. Whenever he gets his chance, he steps in and looks like he is one of the best bowlers in the world," said the skipper.
The skipper said that the 35-year-old has plenty of experience playing at Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) and it is great to have a player like him who walks into the team "seamlessly" in case of an injury.
"I expect him (to do) much the same. He loves bowling here, he has played probably more than anyone else here at the MCG in our team. He has prepared really well, said Cummins.
"It is pretty awesome that even with an unfortunate injury like Josh has, you can have someone like Scotty to come straight in seamlessly," signed off Cummins.
Also, the playing eleven will feature uncapped U19 batting sensation Sam Konstas, who will open with Usman Khawaja. Konstas played a vital role in Australia's ICC U19 World Cup 2024 triumph, scoring 191 runs in seven innings at an average of 27.28, including a century.
He also featured in a two-match series between Australia A and India A ahead of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, scoring 92 runs in four innings, highlighted by a match-winning 73*. In the warm-up pink-ball game against India, he stamped his authority with a classy 107 off 97 balls against a formidable Indian attack.
In the ongoing Sheffield Shield season, Konstas is the fifth-highest run-getter with 471 runs in five matches at an average of 58.87, including two centuries and a fifty, with a best score of 152.
Australia XI for the fourth Test: Usman Khawaja, Sam Konstas, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Travis Head, Mitch Marsh, Alex Carey (wk), Pat Cummins (c), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Scott Boland.