Tom Curran is ready for England Test debut at the MCG, says Joe Root ahead of MCG tilt

The Surrey seamer will receive his first Test cap from Root at Melbourne's famous old cricket ground

Tom Curran was called up by England to replace Steven Finn for the Ashes series (Getty)

Making a Test debut on Boxing Day in front of 90,000 people at the MCG will hold no fears for Tom Curran, according to Joe Root.

England have confirmed that the Surrey seamer will replace Craig Overton for the fourth Test, as Australia try to press home their 3-0 advantage in the series.

Root said: “Tom offers a lot. He’s a real competitor. He has a similar work ethic, and the way he goes about things is very similar to Craig. He’s always wanting to get in the contest.”

Root admitted that it had been a close call between Curran, Mark Wood and leg-spinner Mason Crane for the place vacated by Overton, but Curran’s superior batting and performances in practice that had swung the decision.

“You know that he’ll give everything,” Root said. “He’s skilful. He’s a feisty character, and he gets the ball to move around a bit. We had a little while thinking about it, weighing up what was the best way to go on this surface and these conditions. It wasn’t an easy decision.”

Curran will become England’s 682nd male Test cricketer, but will have his work cut out against a strong Australian batting line-up on what is expected to be a fine batting surface.

He impressed the England management with his performances in white-ball cricket over the summer, taking three wickets on his Twenty20 international debut against South Africa in June.

Root also hit back at Ricky Ponting, after the former Australian captain claimed he was “a little bit soft” as captain, and looked “like a little boy” when addressing the media.

“I don’t think I go about things as a little boy, that’s for sure,” Root retorted. “I have my own way of doing things. It’s important that you don’t try to be something that you are not. He’s entitled to his opinion, but he doesn’t spend any time in our dressing room.”

Steve Smith, meanwhile, brushed off concerns over an injured right hand but admitted he might have to adjust his game accordingly.

The Australian captain was hit on the back of his hand a number of times in Perth, both in practice and during the Test match, and admitted that he would need to “use a bit more top hand” on a pitch that is not expected to bounce as much as the WACA.

Meanwhile, Smith aimed another barb at James Anderson, after the England fast bowler cast doubts on the depth of Australia’s fast-bowling reserves.

Anderson claimed in a BBC podcast that after Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc - who will miss this Test with a heel injury - Australia “haven’t got much after those three”.

Smith retorted: “That's rubbish, to be honest. Does he know that much about Australian domestic cricket? I'm not sure.”

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