Melbourne, Dec 21 (IANS) For Phillip Hughes, recall to the Australian squad for the Boxing Day Test is the best Christmas present.
The left-hander was named in the 13-man squad as cover for captain Ricky Ponting, who is still recovering from an elbow injury sustained in the third Test against the West Indies.

Hughes, the New South Wales (NSW) opener, shone with the bat in the last two Sheffield Shield games which include a 122 against Victoria in Newcastle this week and 75 in the Blues’ first innings against Queensland at the Gabba.

“I can’t wipe the smile off my face,” Hughes was quoted as saying by ABC Monday.

“I found out today off (Cricket Australia operations manager) Michael Brown that I got the call and I was just pumped.

“The smile’s been on the face all day. I can’t wait to get on the plane tomorrow.”

The 20-year-old has scored 388 runs at 43.11 in his return to the domestic four-day game this season after starting his Test career in exciting fashion in South Africa in February, when he became the youngest player in history to score a century in each innings of a Test.

Hughes says he holds no grudge with the selectors, who dropped him from the national side after the second Test against England at Lord’s in July.

“That’s part of the sport and I’m a big believer in that,” he said. “That’s life and what’s happened has happened.

“Now to go to be in the squad for the Boxing Day Test - it’s one as a kid that you always love to watch and would always love to be involved in, so to be involved in the squad is a big thing.”

In Hughes’ absence from the international stage, former Australian Test stalwarts Justin Langer and Matthew Hayden championed the cause to get the fast-starting batsman back into the line-up.