MELBOURNE, Dec 25 (AFP): Skipper Steve Smith has confirmed paceman Jackson Bird will replace Mitchell Starc in Australia's team for the fourth Ashes Test against England starting in Melbourne on Tuesday.
Smith also admitted he still had pain in his right hand after being struck in the nets on Sunday but would play in the Melbourne Cricket Ground showpiece.
Australia have already reclaimed the Ashes after taking an unassailable three-nil lead in the five-Test series and are chasing a 5-0 whitewash over the beleaguered tourists.
Starc, Australia's leading wicket-taker in the series with 19, withdrew from the team on Sunday with a bruised heel and will be replaced by Bird.
Smith said Bird, the leading Sheffield Shield wicket-taker with 25 at 16.56 in four games for Tasmania this season, deserves his chance.
Smith said the MCG drop-in wicket looked flat meaning hard work for the bowlers.
Meanwhile, batsman Peter Handscomb has been released from the Test squad to play for Melbourne Stars in their Big Bash League game against Perth Scorchers in Perth on Boxing Day.
Wicketkeeper Tim Paine has joined his team-mates at training after his arrival into Melbourne was delayed by family health problems.
Meanwhile, young paceman Tom Curran will make his Test debut in England's only change for the fourth Ashes Test against Australia starting in Melbourne on Tuesday.
The Surrey 22-year-old fast bowler replaces injured Craig Overton, who succumbed to a rib injury when the tourists relinquished the Ashes to the Australians in last week's third Perth Test.
Curran has played three Twenty20s and a one-day international and was not originally chosen in England's Ashes touring squad.
But he got his chance when Steve Finn left the tour early with knee cartilage problems and now has a Test opportunity following Overton's injury setback.
Curran won the Test nod ahead of Mark Wood and Jake Ball.
Squad: Australia: David Warner, Cameron Bancroft, Usman Khawaja, Steve Smith (capt), Shaun Marsh, Mitchell Marsh, Tim Paine, Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, Nathan Lyon, Jackson Bird.
England: Alastair Cook, Mark Stoneman, James Vince, Joe Root (capt), Dawid Malan, Jonny Bairstow, Moeen Ali, Chris Woakes, Tom Curran, StuartBroad, James Anderson.
England's cricket player Moeen Ali heads a football during training at the MCG in Melbourne on Monday. — AFP
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