Smith out of early season BBL

Six of Australia's Test squad for the Melbourne Boxing Day Test will feature in the opening matches of the KFC Big Bash League, but skipper Steve Smith is not one of them.

Smith will sit out the Sydney Sixers' opening two matches against cross-town rivals Sydney Thunder and Hobart Hurricanes.

The 26-year-old aggravated his right knee and sustained a minor strain to his right hip flexor in Australia's thumping innings and 212-run win over the West Indies in Hobart today.

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While the Sydney Smash will lose one of its star attractions it gains another in Usman Khawaja who will use the match to prove his fitness for Boxing Day.

Khawaja suffered a hamstring injury on day two of the second Test against New Zealand in Perth, forcing him to watch from the sidelines as Australia claimed victory in the inaugural day-night Test in Adelaide and the triumph at Blundstone Arena.

Now Khawaja has two matches, against the Sixers and Melbourne Stars, to convince the national selectors he his fully fit and ready to return to the Test XI.

Blocking Khawaja's return to the Test starting line-up is the imperious form of Shaun Marsh.

Marsh scored a crucial 49 in the second-innings run chase in Adelaide against the pink ball and backed up that effort with a spectacular 182 in Hobart, combining with Adam Voges for 449 – the highest fourth wicket partnership in Test history. 

WATCH: Voges and Marsh combine for world-record partnership

Both Marsh and Voges are available for selection for the Perth Scorchers opening fixture of BBL|05 against Adelaide Strikers at The Furnace on December 21.

Mitchell Marsh's participation for the Scorchers is still to be determined and will depend on how he pulls up after the first Test win, while 12th man Nathan Coulter-Nile will suit up in the orange against the Strikers.

Australia's three quicks from Hobart – James Pattinson, Josh Hazlewood and Peter Siddle – will be rested, but spinner Nathan Lyon, wicketkeeper Peter Nevill and opening batsman Joe Burns are free to play.

Australia Test squad BBL|05 pre-Christmas availability

Joe Burns (Brisbane Heat) v Melbourne Renegades – Available

David Warner: No BBL club

Steve Smith (Sydney Sixers) v Sydney Thunder, Hobart Hurricanes – Unavailable

Nathan Lyon (Sydney Sixers) v Sydney Thunder, Hobart Hurricanes – Available

Josh Hazlewood (Sydney Sixers) v Sydney Thunder, Hobart Hurricanes – Unavailable

Usman Khawaja (Sydney Thunder) v Sydney Sixers, Melbourne Stars – Available

James Pattinson (Melbourne Renegades) v Brisbane Heat – Unavailable

Peter Siddle (Melbourne Renegades) v Brisbane Heat – Unavailable

Peter Nevill (Melbourne Renegades) v Brisbane Heat – Available

Shaun Marsh (Perth Scorchers) v Adelaide Strikers – Available

Adam Voges (Perth Scorchers) v Adelaide Strikers – Available

Nathan Coulter-Nile (Perth Scorchers) v Adelaide Strikers – Available

Mitchell Marsh (Perth Scorchers) v Adelaide Strikers – Unavailable