AAP
The batsman anointed to fill the biggest shoes in Australian cricket will be known when selectors reveal their first post-Ponting Test team on Thursday.
Amid fresh concerns surrounding captain Michael Clarke, who will be named despite his long-troublesome back injury flaring again, the replacement for retired great Ricky Ponting looms as the big talking point.
Clarke has been ordered by Cricket Australia (CA) to miss this weekend's opening round of the Twenty20 Big Bash League (BBL) after reporting back stiffness in the third Test loss to South Africa.
"Given the amount of cricket Michael Clarke has played in the past month, and having reported some lower back stiffness after the Perth Test ... our medical staff have advised Michael not to play cricket this weekend," CA's executive general manager of team performance Pat Howard said in a statement on Wednesday.
Paceman John Hastings is unlikely to feature when selectors announce the squad for the first Test against Sri Lanka starting on December 14 in Hobart.
Hastings complained of back stiffness after making his Test debut in the loss to South Africa in Perth, though scans have cleared him of serious injury.
"He will be reviewed later this week to determine his return to training and playing," CA's chief medical officer Justin Paoloni said in a statement on Wednesday.
Hastings and fellow quicks Ben Hilfenhaus and Josh Hazlewood all will miss BBL matches this weekend, with Hazlewood unlikely to bowl for a month because of a foot injury.
The queries over Hastings and Hilfenhaus, the latter who was rested for the Perth Test along with paceman Peter Siddle due to recent heavy workloads, pave the way for left-arm fast bowlers Mitchell Starc and Mitchell Johnson to retain their spots for the series opener against the Lankans.
Siddle will return with Hilfenhaus also recalled to a squad in which most interest centres on the batting line-up.
Phil Hughes, Usman Khawaja and Rob Quiney all have claims to fill the slot vacated by Ponting's retirement.
Australian coach Mickey Arthur has forecast a batting order reshuffle, with Shane Watson dropping a position to No.4, meaning Hughes, Khawaja or Quiney will take the crucial first-drop spot.
Hughes' captain at South Australia, Johan Botha, has no doubt the prolific left-hander can flourish at No.3 after playing his previous 17 Tests as an opener.
"Definitely ... Phil can do any job," Botha said.
Hughes was axed from the Test team a year ago, as was Khawaja.
But with an Ashes series in England looming next year, the 24-year-old Hughes and 25-year-old Khawaja appear longer-term prospects than Quiney, the 30-year-old who was tried and failed in the first two Tests against South Africa.
But as retired speedster Brett Lee says, "Australia has options".
"Quiney had his opportunity and whether the selectors want to persist with him remains to be seen," Lee said on Wednesday.
"Khawaja is the obvious one to me ... he is in good form.
"I'd like to see a young fella in there that is going to be there for 10 years."
Khawaja will captain the Chairman's XI against Sri Lanka in Canberra on Thursday and Friday, but will miss the third and final day of the match on Saturday.
The left-hander will fly back to Sydney on Saturday where he will suit up for the Sydney Thunder, replacing Clarke.
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