Australia heaved a major sigh of relief on Wednesday after skipper Pat Cummins declared run-machine Travis Head fit for the Boxing Day test against India at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

The Melbourne pitch is expected to be pace-friendly for the Boxing Day Test between Australia and India. The five-match Test series is evenly poised at 1-1 after three matches.

Australia run-maker Travis Head is questionable for the fourth cricket test against India at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, and teenager Sam Konstas is set to make his first test start for the home side.

India have been undefeated in Boxing Day Tests against Australia at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) for over a decade since 2014 across three appearances.

Batsman Travis Head was declared fit for the Boxing Day Test against India on Wednesday in a big boost for Australia while Scott Boland was confirmed as the injured Josh Hazlewood's replacement.

In-form Australian batter Travis Head will be fit for the fourth test and India are considering restoring captain Rohit Sharma to the opener's slot for the match starting in Melbourne on Thursday.

The cricketing world is abuzz with excitement as India prepares to face Australia in the Boxing Day Test at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Service on December 26. But have you ever wondered why this highly anticipated contest is called the Boxing Day Test?

Named for Boxing Day, which falls on December 26, the Boxing Day Test is a Test match that is played after Christmas.