Australia made two major changes in the playing XI for the Melbourne Test against India with the series currently evenly balanced at 1-1.

The fourth Test match will begin from Thursday with the last clash ending in a draw after a resilient performance by the visitors.

The third Test assumed significance since it marked the last match of former Indian spinner R Ashwin.

He announced his retirement after the third match.

Meanwhile, Cricket Australia said for the fourth match of the series with Scot Boland is set to replace injured  Josh Hazlewood in the playing XI.

Young batsman Sam Konstas will play in place of opener Nathan McSweeney.

Konstas is going to be one of the youngest cricketers to make a debut in the Australian Test team.

Skipper Pat Cummins himself made his debut in 2011 at the age of 18.

He is going to be the youngest Australian openers to make debut for the national squad.

Travis Head will play the match after he was declared fit for the encounter.

"Trav's good to go, he'll play," Australia's skipper Pat Cummins was quoted as saying by the Cricket Australia website.

"He just ticked off some final things today and yesterday. But no worries about injury with Trav. He'll go into the game fully fit," he said giving an update on Head's possibility to play for the Baggy Green.

Speaking on his Test debut, Cummins said: "It's pretty awesome. I spent a bit of the time wondering why, or how, I was there and how it happened so quick. I just remember being really excited."

"You're so young starting out your career – it's Boxing Day, it doesn't get any better than this. So just enjoy the moment," he told the opener.

Australia bounced back and won the second Test to level 1-1 after India clinched the first match.