Australia top order batsman Usman Khawaja says he expects to return from a hamstring strain and be passed fit for the Boxing Day Test against West Indies.
Khawaja has missed Australia's past two Tests with a hamstring strain and must prove himself fit in Sydney Thunder's Big Bash League clash with Melbourne Stars if he is to be included in the Test XI for Boxing Day at the MCG.
He said he was confident of being ready to take on West Indies at the MCG from next Saturday and expected to know exactly where he stood following Sunday's hit-out in Melbourne.
"If there's one thing that gets real sore after a T20 game, it's my hamstring," Khawaja said.
"It's going to be a test and I'm not going to go out there and nurse it in any way because I want to test it. I don't want to go into the Boxing Day Test match not having that confidence.
"I want to go out pretty hard."
In Khawaja's absence, Shaun Marsh made the most of his opportunity in the first Test against West Indies in Hobart with 182, making him hard to displace.
The Australian selectors are faced with a difficult choice between dropping Marsh or opener Joe Burns or excluding Khawaja.
Khawaja was excellent in the opening two Tests of the summer against New Zealand, with two centuries, and said he would be happy slotting into any position in the top order.
The 29-year-old said he could not guarantee he would not break down again but was comfortable with how his hamstring was feeling.
"If I had any doubts, I wouldn't go in but that's not to say I'm not under risk," Khawaja said.
"There's always a risk coming back from [hamstring] tears.
"I've done everything I possibly can to get back to this point. I'm confident but I can't predict the future."
AAP