Boxing Day Test: Travis Head overcomes quad strain in time to play fourth Test against India in Melbourne

Travis Head has overcome a quad injury in time to play the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne. Captain Pat Cummins confirmed on Wednesday his star batter, who has made centuries in the past two Test matches, was clear to play. Head batted in the Melbourne Cricket Ground nets for around half-an-hour on Christmas morning after he was put through a fitness test on the outfield under the close eye of medical staff. It means Australia will make two changes for the crunch fourth Test against India from Thursday, with 19-year-old Sam Konstas already confirmed to debut, replacing Nathan McSweeney at the top of the order. Hometown hero Scott Boland will also return for his second match of the series, replacing Josh Hazlewood. Cummins said there were no lingering concerns over Head and declared he was “fully fit”. “Trav is good to go, so he will play,” the Aussie skipper said. “He just ticked off some final things today and yesterday but no stress, no kind of worries about injury with Trav. “He will go into the game fully fit and I don’t think you will see too much management of him throughout the game.” Australia’s stars spent time with their families, including a growing hoard of young children, on the middle of the MCG on Wednesday morning. West Aussie Mitch Marsh was joined by his wife Greta and newborn baby Olive for a walk around the hallowed turf, while Marnus Labuschagne, Usman Khawaja, Nathan Lyon, Alex Carey also played with their kids. Fellow West Aussie Josh Inglis will have to wait a little longer for a Test debut with Head passed fit, but he spent time in the middle with his partner Megan and son Oscar. Steve Smith checked the MCG wicket with his father Peter. Andrew McDonald’s son Ollie padded up and was receiving throwdowns alongside Head as he was put through his fitness test. Players, staff and families then shared a traditional team Christmas lunch. Cummins said Head’s ability to flick a switch in matches and put pressure back on bowlers was key to their middle-order. “It feels the last 12 months he has just been in this unbelievable vein of form and he just keeps going on with it,” the Australian skipper said. “He is hitting the ball really cleanly, you can see the pressure that he shifts back on to the opposition, literally from the first ball that he walks out there. “As I keep saying, I’m loving that he’s on our team and don’t have to try and set a field and bowl to him. “He is hitting the ball as well as I’ve ever seen anyone, so long may it continue.” India’s players had a rest day, with their customary pre-match press conference shifted forward to Tuesday.