Australia batsman Usman Khawaja still battling to overcome injury

Australia batsman Usman Khawaja faces a race against time to prove his fitness for the second Test against West Indies.

Khawaja suffered a hamstring strain during the second Test against New Zealand last month and missed the final Test in that series as well as the innings and 212-run victory over West Indies in the first Test in Hobart.

The 28-year-old has been included in a 13-man squad for the second Test in Melbourne, but has been told by coach Darren Lehmann that he will have to prove his fitness in Australia's Big Bash League if he is to be considered for the match which starts on Boxing Day.

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He had been due to return to action with the Sydney Thunder in Thursday's opening Big Bash League match against the Sydney Sixers but Cricket Australia medical staff have ruled him out of the derby showdown.

That leaves Khawaja with only one more chance to show he has overcome his hamstring problem - Sunday's Big Bash game with the Melbourne Stars.

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"We certainly need him playing and with the hamstring we don't want him playing Test match cricket if he's not fully fit," said Lehmann after Australia's victory in the first Test.

"He will have to be sharp in those Big Bash League T20 games he's playing and get through those - then we'll make a decision from there."

Khawaja's potential return will give the Australian selectors a dilemma after Shaun Marsh replaced him in Hobart and scored 182 in a world-record partnership of 445 with Adam Voges.

Lehmann has said all-rounder Mitchell Marsh is assured of his place in the side because of the potential for injury in the bowling unit, leaving space for only five specialist batsmen in the line-up.

The unbeaten 269 Adam Voges scored in Hobart means he will surely join David Warner and captain Steve Smith as an automatic pick, leaving Shaun Marsh, opener Joe Burns and Khawaja, who scored 174 and 121 batting at three against New Zealand before he was injured, battling it out for the remaining two spots.

Smith is to have treatment for knee and hip injuries ahead of the Melbourne Test, and has been ruled out of the Sixers' opening two Big Bash matches, but he is expected to be fit to lead the side out on Boxing Day.

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