Australia reveals XI for Boxing Day Test as Cummins praises 'really ...

Pat Cummins has confirmed that Australia will name an unchanged XI for this week’s Boxing Day Test against Pakistan at the MCG.

Speaking to reporters in Melbourne on Monday morning, the Australian captain revealed that Victorian hero Scott Boland would not play the marquee fixture, with the hosts sticking with the same team as the series opener in Perth.

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Boland, who made his Test debut during the corresponding match in 2021, has taken ten wickets at 13.80 at the iconic venue, including his career-best 6-7 against England.

But for the first time in three years Boland won’t be in the line-up for the MCG Test.

“We’re huge fans of Scotty, it’s very rare you’re going to get through seven Test matches with the same quick bowling line-up,” Cummins said. “There’s always niggles or things that pop up, so he’s ready to go if anything happens.

“I’m sure he’ll play a part at some point, but the message is always we absolutely love what you bring, unfortunately you miss out on this one, but don’t change, keep working hard and make sure you stay ready.”

Earlier this week, teammate Mitchell Starc declared he was confident Australia’s world-class pace trio could play all five Tests this home summer.

“It’s certainly not a schedule like what we had in the Ashes,” Starc said.

“We’ve had a few days in between Perth and coming to Melbourne, and then there’s a few days between the Pakistan series and the West Indies series.

“We look back at the Ashes schedule and having six Test matches in eight weeks was something that doesn’t happen all the time. The way we’re all feeling at the minute, we’re ready to go.”

Late rain on Christmas Eve - and some more on Christmas Day - has forced grounds staff at the MCG to prepare a drier wicket than usual.

But Cummins is confident that they have prepared “a really good wicket” for the showpiece Test.

“It looks really good, fair bit of grass, probably a fair bit harder and not as green as last year, knowing it was potentially going to be under covers today and for a little bit tomorrow maybe, so we’ll see how it plays but it looks like a really good wicket.”

Meanwhile, Pakistan has unveiled a 12-player squad for the Boxing Day Test, with wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan replacing Sarfaraz Ahmed.

The second Test between Australia and Pakistan gets underway at the MCG on Tuesday after 10.30am AEDT.

Showers and a potential thunderstorm are forecast for the first day, but are unlikely to remain throughout the full day’s play.

Light showers could hang around on Wednesday morning but are expected to clear up in the afternoon and into Thursday, though there is a possibility of more showers arriving with the weekend.

Australian XI for Boxing Day Test

David Warner, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Travis Head, Mitchell Marsh, Alex Carey (wk), Pat Cummins (c), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood

Pakistan squad for Boxing Day Test

Imam-ul-Haq, Abdullah Shafique, Shan Masood (c), Babar Azam, Saud Shakeel, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Salman Ali Agha, Shaheen Afridi, Hassan Ali, Mir Hamza, Aamir Jamal, Sajid Khan