MELBOURNE:  After being ruled out of the Boxing Day Test due to a side strain, Australia's right-arm fast bowler Josh Hazlewood has declared himself healthy for the Sydney Test against South Africa.

After playing in the Perth Test match against the West Indies, Hazlewood has been sidelined. On Christmas Day, he suggested that he was underdone, ruling himself out of the Boxing Day Test against South Africa. Scott Boland, a local youngster, kept his place in the starting eleven.

Now that Mitchell Starc and Cameron Green have finger injuries at the MCG, two positions in the Australian Test playing eleven are up for grabs. "As of right now, I am (available). Since I had a successful hit out two days ago, I still have a few overs to bowl during this game in the nets." "I feel prepared and in good physical condition, and all the signals are favourable. If I could have bet on less than 30 overs for this game today (Thursday), that would have been great. However, if it goes deep, particularly with Greeny (Cam Green) injured, 40 overs might have been pushing it, thus the decision was decided before the game "Hazlewood addressed the SEN Test cricket programme.

Hazlewood, who has taken 217 wickets in 58 Test matches, did not offer a firm response when asked if he would replace Starc. "Yes, I believe I will be correct. I haven't spoken with them recently, but before this game, I had a solid conversation with them over a few days, and it turned out to be my call for the game. As a result, I feel well-positioned." Australia will try to defeat a feeble South Africa 3-0 in the New Year's Test, which gets underway on January 4 at the Sydney Cricket Ground. Australia defeated South Africa at the MCG by an innings and 182 runs to win the Proteas' first home Test series since 2005/06.

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