Australia names squads for MCG, SCG Tests as Khawaja and O'Keefe return

Usman Khawaja returns to Australian Test squad.

Australia have named a 13-man squad for the Boxing Day Test at Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) with injured batsman Usman Khawaja returning to the mix.

Khawaja will have two matches for Sydney Thunder in the KFC Big Bash League in the lead-up to Boxing Day to fuel up his case for a recall in the Australian XI after his replacement, Shaun Marsh, made a valiant 182 in the comprehensive first Test win against the West Indies in Hobart.

The Queensland captain struck back to back centuries in the first two Tests of the summer against New Zealand before sustaining a hamstring injury on day two of Perth Test.

Australian Support Staff Head Coach Darren Lehmann said, "Usman will come into the 13 for the Melbourne Test match subject to fitness. That's the big one for us."

New South Wales Blues left-arm orthodox spinner Stephen O'Keefe will join the Australian team in Sydney as part of a 14-man squad for the New Year's Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG).

Lehman also added, "Then O'Keefe will come into Sydney as well. So we'll have 13 and 14 for the next two Test matches and then with that we've got to make some decisions.

"Usman's first got to be fit. If he's not fit he won't play, there's no doubt about that.

"We've got to make sure he's playing BBL to get some sort of match fitness and see how the strain of the hamstring is and then when we get him in on the 23rd we'll have a look at him and see whether he's available to play.

"We've got a dilemma. We've just got to pick the best team to win that particular game. If Usman is in then someone's got to miss out. If he's not in, then probably the same six."

Australia squad for the Boxing Day Test at MCG: Steve Smith (C), David Warner (VC), Joe Burns, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Josh Hazlewood, Usman Khawaja, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Marsh, Shaun Marsh, Peter Nevill (WK), James Pattinson, Peter Siddle, Adam Voges.

Australia squad for the Sydney Test: Steve Smith (C), David Warner (VC), Joe Burns, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Josh Hazlewood, Usman Khawaja, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Marsh, Shaun Marsh, Peter Nevill (WK), Stephen O'Keefe, James Pattinson, Peter Siddle, Adam Voges.