Cricket Australia high performance manager Pat Howard says there will be no playing favourites when it comes to filling the No. 6 spot for the first Ashes Test at the Gabba next month.
Howard says runs in the three Sheffield Shield rounds before the first Test will be essential, indicating selectors will pick a worthy batsman before considering if they can bowl.
Batting all-rounders Glenn Maxwell, Hilton Cartwright and Marcus Stoinis are all in the mix to be part of Australia's top six at the Gabba.
Axed Test brothers Mitch and Shaun Marsh have also launched cases of their own following some impressive one-day form for Western Australia.
The Shield season begins on Thursday and Howard has invited prospective candidates to put their cases forward.
"It's a really open race ... much like it was between Hobart and Adelaide (Tests last year), there is a pressure to perform," Howard said.
"The selectors have said that it's a batting role first, with any skills you can bring after that more than welcome.
"(The selectors) are looking for that and that multi-faceted ability won't hurt."
The battle of the wicketkeepers has already begun, with aspirants Matthew Wade and Peter Nevill both making club cricket centuries on Saturday.
Wade scored a quick-fire 111 for Clarence in his return to the Tasmanian club he debuted for as a 14-year-old.
Meanwhile Nevill, who Wade replaced with the gloves in the Test arena last summer, was unbeaten on 130 for Eastern Suburbs in NSW grade cricket.
Highly-rated South Australian keeper Alex Carey is also in the picture, his classy 92 in the one-day cup semi-final last week a timely reminder of his class.
With three Shield rounds, one more than last season, before the first Test and the country's best bowlers in various stages of management, Howard said he was happy with the side's preparation.
And the former Australian rugby union representative said he was comfortable with likely Test No.3 Usman Khawaja last week questioning the "horses for courses" approach for selection.
Dropped on the tour of Bangladesh after twin failures in the first Test, the Queensland captain said he was disappointed not to be given more opportunities on the subcontinent.
Howard said he had taken Khawaja's comments with a grain of salt, but expressed no sympathy given competence against spin bowling was a non-negotiable for batsman hopeful of playing in all conditions.
"And he also said that there is a stable set-up (in the squad of batsman), and I agree with him," Howard said.
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