With England's Ashes hopes hanging by a thread, Joe Root has called on his entire team to lift for Boxing Day as the tourists fight to keep the series alive.

With Australia holding a 2-0 series lead heading into the MCG clash, Root was tight-lipped on any potential changes to the England XI but said the side was focused on improving after they were handed heavy defeats in Brisbane and Adelaide.

"We have to win this game to make sure this Ashes series stays alive. We'll pick the team that can win this game and, if it has a couple of changes, so be it," Root said.

"I think we all know what's required, we know what we need to do.

"It's asking all our batters, whoever does play, to do basic things very well. Give yourself the opportunity to go and make big runs, build those big partnerships.

"We bang on about that all the time but it's the fundamentals of batting."

Root added that a stronger understanding of the conditions will put England in good stead to turn things around.

"It's a mental thing, not through a lack of confidence or anything like that but, understanding the conditions and sniffing out danger, I think we can be a bit smarter about that. We addressed that at the end of the game," Root said.

"Any senior batter in any team, their responsibility is to go and try make big hundreds. Regardless of how things have gone on this tour, that wouldn't change.

"As a leader, you expect yourself to set that example."

Hazlewood set to miss second straight Ashes test

Meanwhile, Australia's bowling attack will be bolstered by the return of Pat Cummins, while Mitchell Starc is also expected to be passed fit to play.

However, Josh Hazlewood appears almost certain to miss a second straight Ashes Test with Australia's opening bowler on ice in Melbourne.

Just two days out from the Boxing Day Test start, Hazlewood did not bowl in the MCG nets on Friday and spent time talking to physios.

Instead, Jhye Richardson joined Starc and Cummins in the same net in the team's last full training session before play.

Australia are however hopeful of having Hazlewood return for the New Years' Test at the SCG, starting January 5.

"I haven't spoke to the guys for this game but definitely lock him in for Sydney," allrounder Cameron Green said at Friday's press conference in Melbourne.

Green meanwhile has no concerns over his own fitness or ability to bowl long spells.

Stand-in skipper Steve Smith admitted after the win in Adelaide that he had been advised to try and not bowl Green on day five to manage his workload.

Justin Langer has since moved to clarify there are no extra concerns around the 22-year-old, who has previously had back issues.

Green was used sparingly in the bowling attack in Adelaide but said he was fully capable of playing a larger role in the attack on Boxing Day.

"We don't want to let a world-class team like England back into the series, if we can keep on top, that's what we're looking for," Green said.

"I didn't have any conversations with Smudge, but I was fine and ready to go.

"We were in a really good position, Nathan Lyon was bowling beautifully from one end and we had three, world-class pace bowlers from the other.

"It'll keep me a bit more fresh for this game. I'll just be required when I'm required."

Green does shape as a weapon for Australia at the MCG.

He has removed Joe Root twice this series, edging him off in both Brisbane and Adelaide to balls well outside the off stump.

England have stressed the importance of playing with more patience in the third Test, with too many batsman edging balls they could have left.

But Root's stroke play outside off has long been one of his biggest weapons, particularly at home on wickets that lack the bounce of Australia's.

Root is also well aware of the issue, batting with a fourth stump behind him in the nets this week to have better awareness of his own positioning.

"I played two poor shots to him," Root said.

"He brings an extra bit of bounce and the danger you can get sucked into in Australia is it doesn't do as much as it does in England.

"So you feel like you can play at balls more frequently.

"That's what's most frustrating, making that mistake twice in two games."

But Green himself is not ready to claim he has it over the England captain just yet, despite teammates regularly reminding him of his record.

"I just have very simple plans to him. Just keep it tight from one end and let the other guys do their job," Green said.

"I've just got lucky a couple of times."

ABC Sport/AAP