Travis Head has been officially declared fit ahead of the Boxing test of the Border Gavaskar Trophy and has been named in Australia’s playing 11.
Pat Cummins also confirmed that Sam Konstas and Scott Boland have been named in the lineup for the Melbourne test.
“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.”
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Travis Head had a minor strain while batting in the second innings of the Brisbane test and underwent a fitness test and declared fit to play.
“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.”
Meanwhile, Konstas is replacing Nathan McSweeney who had been dropped from the squad for the last two tests after a string of lowscores since his debut in Perth.
“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.”
On the other hand, Boland will be be making his return to the playing 11 after the second test in Adelaide, after Josh Hazlewood has been ruled out with 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.”
The third match of the BGT ended in draw after the rain spoiled the game on day 05 and both sides have one victory each. The fourth match of the Australia-India tests will be played beginning on December 26 at Melbourne Cricket Ground.
Australia Playing 11 for Melbourne 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
