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Michael Clarke and Josh Hazlewood named in Australia's squad for 1st Test against India

Michael Clarke was named subject to a fitness test on the left hamstring © AFP

Selectors included injured skipper Michael Clarke and uncapped paceman Josh Hazlewood in a 12-man Australia squad on Monday for next month's opening Test against India in Brisbane.

Mitchell Starc and Glenn Maxwell missed out, omitted from Australia's last Test side that lost to Pakistan in the United Arab Emirates.

Clarke was named subject to a fitness test on the left hamstring he injured in the recent one-day series against South Africa in Perth. He also continues to undergo daily treatment for an ongoing back condition.

"Michael Clarke has been included subject to fitness," chief selector Rod Marsh said. "We would have preferred him to play in the round of Sheffield Shield starting on Tuesday, but unfortunately his condition did not allow him enough time to be ready for that match.

"The aim is for him to play in the two-day Cricket Australia XI match against India at the Adelaide Oval starting on Friday and his selection for the first Test is very much dependent on him pulling up well from that match," Marsh added.

"We still have some time before having to make a final decision on Michael's fitness," team doctor Peter Brukner said. "As you would expect, he's desperate to play and we are doing all that we can to ensure he can do just that.

"Over the coming days the plan is to build him up so that he can resume running with the ultimate aim of getting him some high-intensity match practice ahead of the first Test.

"Marsh said the selectors would consider calling in a replacement batsman to the squad for the opening Test starting on December 4 if Clarke does not recover sufficiently.

One man who is in the frame to be called up as Clarke's replacement could be left-handed batsman, Phil Hughes. The batsman has been a squad member over the last two Test series and played his last Test for Australia in July 2013, against England at Lord's. Marsh hinted that 'Hughes needs to spend some more time at the domestic level' and said his recent form didn't merit a call-up to the national squad.

"He's a hell of a good batsman. He probably just missed his window of opportunity. I wish he'd have got big runs [in the past two Sheffield Shield rounds]," Marsh said.

"He's a very, very good young player that's got 26, I think it is now, first-class hundreds. He's probably as unlucky as anyone has been over the last little bit but his time will come, and he'll be better for it in my opinion," Marsh added.

Veteran paceman Ryan Harris returns following knee surgery and will play in this week's round of Sheffield Shield matches as part of his build up to the opening Test. "Ryan has worked extremely hard to return to elite cricket following his knee surgery. We know what a quality player he is. He will play in this week's Sheffield Shield to get more bowling under his belt but we are all hopeful he will be ready for a big summer of cricket," Marsh said.

Uncapped New South Wales paceman Hazlewood was rewarded for his strong recent performances against South Africa in the one-day series with inclusion in the Test squad for the first time since 2012-13.

Hazlewood captured nine wickets in the series against South Africa, which Australia won 4-1 on Sunday to return to the top of the International Cricket Council one-day rankings.

"Josh is a young player of great talent and he thoroughly deserves this opportunity. He has impressed in the recent one-day series and we are excited to see what he can produce if given the opportunity in Brisbane," the selector added.

The inclusion of Mitchell Marsh has meant that fragile all-rounder, Shane Watson, is likely to be used more as a top-order batsman and his workload with the ball might be cut down. Watson was shifted down to number six during the South African tour with the emphasis placed on getting him to bowl more overs. The all-rounder missed the first two Tests with injury and batted at four and six, in his only Test at Cape Town.

"Not having been a great bowler myself I don't know what it takes out of a person, as far as batting, but having been a wicket-keeper, I would have been very hard, I think, to bat in the top three," Marsh said.

"In Test-match cricket you need to put your feet up after a day in the field if you've bowled, and I think Shane will bowl less with Mitch Marsh there, if they both play," he added.

Australian squad for the Brisbane Test - Michael Clarke (c), Brad Haddin, Ryan Harris, Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Johnson, Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Marsh, Chris Rogers, Peter Siddle, Steve Smith, David Warner, Shane Watson.