Burns not worrying about Test dilemma

Australia opener Joe Burns says the Boxing Day Test will be the furthest thing from his mind when he opens the Brisbane Heat's KFC Big Bash League season at the Gabba on Saturday.

The Heat host the Melbourne Renegades with speculation surrounding Burns' future as Test opener. The welcome selection headache for Australia stems from having a full complement of fit and firing batsmen to choose from, but only five batting spots to fill.

Usman Khawaja has been named in the Test squad for the Boxing Day clash with the West Indies at the MCG having overcome a hamstring complaint picked up during the Perth Test.

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Khawaja's replacement, Shaun Marsh, hit a composed 49 in the second innings at Adelaide to help secure victory over New Zealand in the inaugural day-night Test and backed that up with 182 against the West Indies in Hobart in an epic, record-breaking 449-run stand with Adam Voges.

Watch: Marsh cashes in with Hobart ton

It means incredibly Burns, with 298 runs at 42.57 this summer including a maiden Test century at the Gabba, finds himself in the firing line in some circles.

"I guess it's just a sign of how strong the team is," Burns said today at Allan Border Field where the Heat had an intra-squad practice match in which Burns blasted 67.

"It's been a really enjoyable last month, the team has played some fantastic cricket. I can't control selection, just how I prepare.

"I speak to Boof (Darren Lehmann, the Bupa Support Team head coach) daily about coaching, about things we're working on with my batting and fielding but when it comes to selection, I don't want to know, I don't want to ask questions.

"It's unnecessary to be worrying about those sort of things, it's just a distraction that doesn't really need to be there.

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"I've played cricket long enough to know it's a tough enough game without worrying about selection. For me to be going to people and asking them about my spot in the team is a waste of time, waste of effort."

Watch: Burns posts maiden Test ton

Burns was Australia's first choice to form a new opening partnership with Test vice-captain David Warner in the wake of Chris Rogers' retirement after the winter Ashes. The pair already have three century stands between them from seven innings and have set their sights on a lofty goal.

"We've already talked about how Hayden and Langer had 14 100-run partnerships, and we've got three," Burns said.

"We keep saying every day that we want 11 more, but you have to earn the right to play for long period for Australia and you need to be performing day in day out to achieve those things.

"I never really rate my batting on how many runs I make, I always think about the process I'm doing," said Burns, adding he felt good in making 33 in Hobart before Shannon Gabriel "did me for speed more than anything" with a ball Lehmann said was the best of the Test match.

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Burns had hit seven boundaries in a blistering start to the innings before being bowled, and said the aggressive tone was something he and Warner had agreed upon.

Watch: Gabriel's peach to bowl Burns

"Davey and I tried to set the tone early, we had spoken before game about how (the new ball) was their greatest threat and that we would fight fire with fire."